Open Arms
by DARecruit
Summary: Rachel's world turns upside down when her fathers give her back to her mother, Shelby Corcoran, who just so happens to be a huge Broadway star. Mother and daughter must figure out their new world together.
1. Changes

_Hello Readers! So this is my first foray into Glee fanfic. I hope you all enjoy it! It is going to be completely AU. I stopped watching Glee mid 3rd season I think? I'm going to try to keep everyone in character, but if they aren't, just chalk it up to artistic liberty. Anyway…I always wanted Shelby and Rachel to have a relationship. Sooo…this is my take on that._

_Oh, and I just want to give a HUGE thank you to TreblesandTones for encouraging me to write this story. She's been a huge inspiration, and so much help! Go check out her stories, Left and One Step at a Time!_

**Chapter One: Changes**

Shelby Corcoran, Broadway superstar and Tony Award-winning actress, stepped off the plane at Lima Allen County Airport to a flashing of cameras. She sighed. This is not how she wanted to be greeted. It was inevitable though. Ever since the news broke out a month ago that two gay men with an adopted daughter wanted to give their daughter back to her surrogate mother (who just so happened to be, well…Shelby) paparazzi followed her everywhere.

Shelby walked with her publicist and two bodyguards towards the airport and the car waiting for her. She had a carryon bag that she brought with her, and her luggage would be brought to the hotel later. She just wanted to get away from the paparazzi as quickly as possible. That, and she was anxious to get to Rachel.

Rachel…the baby she had given up nearly fifteen years ago. She thought she was giving her daughter to a loving family who wanted a child. Hiram and LeRoy Berry were a lovely couple when she first met them all those years before. They had made sure Shelby was as comfortable as possible during her pregnancy and she was paid handsomely for being their surrogate. Shelby had only been twenty-one at the time, fresh out of college with big dreams of making it on Broadway. But in order to do that, she needed money. A friend had told her about one of her parents' friends who were looking to have a baby because they were a newly married gay couple and couldn't have a child on their own. Shelby had met with them and taken to them right away. A contract was drawn up, stating that Shelby could not contact her child until the eighteenth year unless both fathers passed away or voided the contract for whatever reason. Shelby had agreed because she truly wanted to help these men start a family. And she could forge a relationship with her child once he or she was older and explain everything then.

But on May 1st, everything changed. She received a phone call that would forever change her life.

"_Shelby Corcoran?" a male voice asked as soon as she picked up._

"_Yes?" _

"_Shelby…it's Hiram. Hiram Berry," the man said._

_Shelby's heart sped up and her mouth immediately went dry. "Hiram? Oh my God, Rachel. Is she...is she alright?" Shelby croaked, thousands of scenarios suddenly flashing through her head. Why on earth would Hiram be calling unless something was serious? She hadn't spoken to either of the Berry men since she gave birth to Rachel. _

"_Rachel is fine…but she's the reason I called," Hiram said. _

_Shelby took a deep breath and listened as Hiram explained. "LeRoy and I have been talking a lot about what is best for Rachel. We…we can't give her what she needs. Neither of us are any good at being fathers. We tried…Rachel needs a parent who is able to put her first. We can't. We want to give her to you."_

"_W-what? To me?" Shelby asked, not believing her ears. She had spent the last fourteen years constantly thinking about that little girl she gave up. Not a day went by that Rachel wasn't on her mind. What was she like? What were her interests? Did she look like Shelby? _

"_You're her mother. She should really be with you. Unless you don't want her, that is. We can find different arrangements."_

"_What? No! Of course I want her…I just…I don't understand. You were both so…happy…before. You wanted her…what changed?" Shelby asked. _

"_We were young and married…It's true what they say, ignorance _is_ bliss. We did want Rachel, and we do love her. It's just…we've realized over the years that she truly isn't happy with us. We don't take as much interest in her as we should. We…we don't put her first. We want to do as we please…travel the world, go on adventures. We can't do that with a child tying us down."_

"_So you're just…tossing her aside? Just like that?" Shelby asked quietly. She was shocked, but anger was quickly rising to the surface. "When I agreed to be your surrogate, I was doing so under the impression that I was helping to build your family. You promised you'd love Rachel…cherish her. You promised—"_

"_I know, Shelby. I know…we…we feel awful about it, really. We're trying to do the right thing here," Hiram interjected. _

"_How…how long have you both felt like this? How long has Rachel…does she know she's loved? Have you made her…Oh God."_

"_We've known for quite awhile—"_

"_Why didn't you get in contact with me sooner? I've always wanted Rachel. I would have given her everything she needed. I—"_

"_I know Shelby. LeRoy and I…we were too proud to admit—"_

"_We're talking about Rachel's happiness. She's a child…_my_ child. How could you?" Shelby all but screamed at the man, breaking down in tears. _

"_I know it's not ideal, doing it now…we should have given her back years ago. But we're trying to make it right now. Please understand, Shelby," Hiram pleaded, and Shelby could hear the catch in his voice. _

Shelby spent the past four weeks getting her affairs in order. She needed to make sure that she could be there for Rachel without interruption. She wanted to spend the entire summer with her daughter, bonding and getting into a routine, before the girl went back for her sophomore year of high school. Shelby wanted to keep things as normal as possible for the girl, so she was leaving Broadway behind and moving back to Ohio. She had grown up there, after all, and her entire family still lived in Columbus. Shelby would find a house in Lima so Rachel could still attend her school. Shelby was well off, so money wouldn't be an issue. She was determined to be the best damn parent in the world to her little girl.

As Shelby climbed into the back of a black Rolls Royce Phantom that would take her to her baby girl, she thought about what her first meeting with her daughter will be like. They had spoken on the phone each day since Rachel's fathers told her about the situation. The girl seemed to be taking things in stride. She was quiet at first, but had been opening up more this past week. Shelby could tell her daughter was getting excited for today.

Shelby thought back to their very first phone call as mother and daughter.

"_Rachel...hi, baby. How are you doing?" Shelby said, and immediately smacked her palm to her forehead. What kind of question was that? Rachel's world was being turned upside down, how was she supposed to be doing?_

"_F-fine, Ms. Cor—uh, m-ma'am," Rachel stammered. What exactly was she supposed to call this woman? She knew she was her mother, but she hadn't even met her yet. On top of that, she was one of Rachel's biggest idols. Rachel did want to call her "Mom", but…what if the woman didn't want that? Rachel definitely didn't want to make her angry before she even met her. She wanted her mother to love her…she thought her fathers loved her, but come to find out they were giving her up. Just like that. Thinking back over the years, Rachel knew she didn't have the most open or affectionate relationship with either of her dads, and she didn't spend much time with them, but she always thought they loved her and wanted her deep down. Come to find out, they wanted to give her away…to be rid of her. Was it something she did? Was she unlovable? What if the same thing happened with her mother? Then where was Rachel going to go? _

"_Honey, you can call me Mom…or Shelby, if you're more comfortable with that," Shelby said gently. _

_Rachel was silent on the other end. She was a little shocked, honestly. This was a lot to take in and absorb. Shelby wanted her to call her mom? She really didn't mind?_

_Shelby became uneasy at Rachel's pause. "Rachel, if you aren't ready to call me Mom, you really don't have to. I am completely fine with you calling me Shelby. I want to make this as easy as possible for you, baby," Shelby said, her heart racing inside her chest. She wasn't lying to her daughter; she did want to make this easy on her, but she also knew she really wanted to hear Rachel call her "Mom". _

"_N-no, I…I'm sorry. It's just a…I needed a minute," Rachel stammered, not wanting her mother to think she didn't like her or anything like that. She wanted her approval so much. She wanted her mother to love her. "Mom."_

_Shelby was sure her heart was going to just stop. Just like that. Tears welled in her eyes and she blinked to clear her vision. "Oh baby…I'm so glad…You can't imagine how much that means to me. I love you, Rachel," she said. _

_Rachel's heart rate was accelerating at an alarming rate. Putting a hand over her chest, she felt it beating rapidly against her palm. This all felt like a dream to her. She was talking with her mother, the one person she wanted to know more than anything else in this world. Her mother, Shelby Corcoran—Shelby Corcoran, _the Broadway star_—just told her she loved her. Rachel didn't hear those words very often. In fact…she couldn't actually recall the last time her fathers had told her they loved her. _

"_You…you love me after only…we've never even met," Rachel stammered, her brain trying hard to comprehend. "Well, I guess we _did_ meet, once…but I don't remember it. And you…I was just a baby and I was told by my dads you didn't even get to hold me. And you—"_

"_Rachel, hey! Slow down, kiddo," said Shelby, cutting off Rachel's anxious rambling. "Of course I love you. I've loved you since the moment I found out I was pregnant with you. I fell in love all over again when I heard your heartbeat for the first time…when you kicked inside of me. And I thought my heart would literally burst when the doctor held you up so I could see you."_

"_R-really?" Rachel asked, tears running down her cheeks._

"_Really, baby. I love you," Shelby said with such conviction that Rachel couldn't help but believe her. _

"_I-I love you too, Mom," Rachel cried. _

"Shelby, we're here," Jackie, her publicist, said, jarring Shelby from her thoughts. Shelby looked out the window at the large, dreary office building. It was a large, brick red building with small windows and a large revolving door. Shelby hated revolving doors. She took a deep breath and opened the car door, stepping out onto the sidewalk and the flashing of cameras. Police officers had blocked off road and entranceway to the building, but paparazzi and news people still littered the streets, pressed up against the barricades and screaming for Shelby.

"Shelby, what's it feel like to be meeting your daughter for the first time after fourteen years?"

"Shelby, how is your daughter going to affect your career? Are you worried you won't have enough time for both?"

"Shelby, are you—"

One man had managed to break away from the pack and was running towards Shelby with his microphone outstretched, his cameraman close behind him.

"Miss Corcoran, tell us, what's it like to have your world turns upside down for a daughter you don't even know?"

"Back off, NOW!" bellowed Tom, one of Shelby's bodyguards. He towered over the newscaster and flexed his bulging muscles menacingly. The newscaster started puffing up his own chest and was about to take another step when he was seized from behind by a Lima police officer.

"Come on, let's get you inside before any of these other crazies get loose," Tom said to Shelby, winking at her. He put his hand around Shelby's shoulder and lead her towards the door, shielding her as much as possible with his own body from the flashing of the cameras.

They entered a large lobby with marble floors and tall, white pillars. A security guard was stationed at his desk, and he smiled warmly at them when Shelby and her troop gathered around it. "Good afternoon, Miss Corcoran," he said, "Mr. Sawyer is expecting you. His office is on the third floor, suite 305…"

Shelby stopped listening to the man; she was too focused on what was about to happen. She could feel her blood pounding in her ears and her mouth became dry. She was about to see Rachel. She was so excited, but terrified at the same time. She had been dreaming of this moment ever since Rachel was born, but now that it was upon her, she wasn't sure she was ready. But if there was one thing being on Broadway had taught her, it was that the show must go on. So, Shelby took a deep, steadying breath and allowed Tom to steer her towards the elevators and what waited beyond.

**Open Arms * Open Arms * Open Arms**

Rachel paced around the conference room, stopping every few seconds to look out the window to see if a car was pulling up. She'd huff each time the street remained empty (except for the large crowd that was gathering, that is) and resume her circles. Her mind raced, and she was anxiously excited. She had just spoken to her mother the night before…they talked for nearly two hours, in fact.

"_Mommy…are you…are you sure about this?" Rachel asked, her fears getting the better of her. They had been talking of things they would do once they were together, movies they liked, food, tv shows…pretty much everything under the sun. The conversation was light and carefree, but Rachel just couldn't keep that question inside anymore. She had to know, before things got too out of control for her. She had to know that her mother was sure. _

"_I've never been more sure of anything, sweetheart," Shelby immediately replied, hearing the worry in her daughter's voice. Her heart broke; her daughter sounded so young, especially when she called her "mommy". That was a new development, and every time Rachel said it, Shelby wanted to turn to mush. _

"_But what if…what if you don't like me?" Rachel whispered._

"_I love you, Rach. Nothing will ever change that. I promise, baby."_

"_But—"_

"_Rachel, sweetheart, calm down. I promise everything will be alright. Are you in bed? I can sing for you, if you'd like?" Shelby said, wanting to soothe her daughter as best as she could from over four hundred miles away. She heard Rachel sniff on the other end._

"_I…I'd like that," said Rachel as she snuggled down into her bed. She grabbed her stuffed lion from under her covers and held him close to her. She had had the stuffed toy (named Henry) for as long as she could remember. She couldn't sleep without him. _

_Shelby smiled and began to sing._

_Baby mine, don't you cry_  
_Baby mine, dry your eyes_  
_Rest your head close to my heart_  
_Never to part, baby of mine_

_Little one, when you play_  
_Don't you mind what they say_  
_Let those eyes sparkle and shine_  
_Never a tear, baby of mine_

_If they knew sweet little you_  
_They'd end up loving you too_  
_All those same people who scold you_  
_What they'd give_  
_Just for the right to hold you_

_From your head down to your toes_  
_You're not much, goodness knows_  
_But you're so precious to me_  
_Sweet as can be, baby of mine_

_All of those people who scold you_  
_What they'd give_  
_Just for the right to hold you_

_From your head down to your toes_  
_You're not much, goodness knows_  
_But you're so precious to me_  
_Sweet as can be, baby of mine_  
_Baby of mine_

_When Shelby finished, she was surprised to feel tears running down her face. She hadn't even realized she was crying. _

_Rachel had tears flowing as well. That was the first time she had ever been sung to. And her mother had been the one to do that for her. Taking a shaky breath, Rachel whispered, "Thank you, Mommy." _

"_Anytime, sweetheart," Shelby said, her own voice thick with tears. "Why don't you try to sleep now? And tomorrow, we'll see each other."_

_Rachel yawned. She really was exhausted. She didn't want to stop talking to her mother though. "Will you…" she began, but quickly trailed off. She didn't want to annoy her mom with too many demands. Rachel couldn't afford for her to become sick of her already._

"_Will I what, baby?" Shelby questioned, knowing that Rachel needed her comfort. "I'll try my best to do whatever you need, Rach. I want to make you feel better however I can."_

"_Will you…would you mind s-staying on the phone until I fall asleep?" Rachel asked timidly. "You don't have to if you don't want to!" she added quickly. _

_Shelby's heart broke at her daughter's request. She could hear the fear and uncertainty in her voice. _Damn those Berry men_, Shelby thought to herself. She wished she had gotten Rachel sooner…hell, she wished she had never given her daughter to those men in the first place. _

"_Of course I'll stay on the phone with you until you fall asleep. I'm more than happy to," she said gently. "Close your eyes, baby. Try to relax, ok?" _

"Rachel, come sit down," LeRoy said after twenty minutes of constant pacing.

"She should be here soon," Rachel said to herself, ignoring her father's voice. She went to look out the window once more and her heart almost stopped. A black car was pulling up and a large man got out first, followed by a woman…her mother!

Rachel watched as the paparazzi started waving frantically and snapping photos. She wondered if they would do that to her soon as well. So far, they had been leaving her alone. She then watched as a man ran close to her mother, waving his microphone in her face. Rachel couldn't help but laugh; the man looked like a cartoon character the way he was acting! Rachel kept looking out the window, even after her mother and the people with her moved towards the building and out of Rachel's line of sight. Her heart beat fast in her chest as she jumped around and waited excitedly for the door to open.

**Open Arms * Open Arms * Open Arms**

Shelby followed the receptionist to the conference room where her lawyer, the Berry men and their lawyer, and her Rachel waited for her. She felt like her heart was going to beat right out of her chest as she neared the door. Five feet, three feet, one…the door was opening…and Shelby's eyes immediately found Rachel's.

Before anyone could do or say anything, Shelby was at Rachel's side, pulling the girl in close for a hug. It was the first time she had ever held her daughter, and she wanted it to be the very first thing she did when she saw her.

"Oh Rachel baby, I love you," she whispered, tears falling from her eyes in tiny rivers. Shelby put her face close to Rachel's hair and inhaled the strawberry scent.

"Mommy," Rachel breathed into her mother's neck. Her mom smelled like vanilla and coconut, and Rachel found herself breathing in deeply, trying to ingrain the scent into her memory forever.

"Ahem…Miss Corcoran, I don't mean to break up this reunion…however, there are matters at hand," Mr. Sawyer said after several more minutes.

Shelby reluctantly pulled away from Rachel, but held her hand out for her to hold as she walked around the table to face Hiram and LeRoy. Jackie was already sitting down next to Paul Ryan, Shelby's lawyer, so Shelby sat on Paul's left. She then pulled Rachel down on her lap and held her close.

"Well, let's get started then, shall we?" Paul said, pulling his papers out of his briefcase and laying them out on the table.

"Right. Well, Mr. and Mr. Berry have already signed the papers for termination of parental rights, and I have the papers that will reinstate Miss Corcoran's parental rights here," Mr. Sawyer replied, sliding Shelby her paperwork.

Shelby shifted Rachel on her lap so she could free her left hand to sign the papers; she passed one set back to Mr. Sawyer and gave the other copy to Paul.

"Mr. and Mr. Berry, you understand that by signing away your rights, you are giving full custody to Miss Corcoran, correct? Neither of you will have any say about what goes on with Rachel from this point on, and Miss Corcoran is not obligated to allow you to see Rachel. Do you have any questions?" Paul said.

"We understand. We won't interfere with Miss Corcoran or Rachel's life together," Hiram said.

Rachel sat on her mother's lap and listened as her whole world was falling apart. She was thrilled to be with her mother, but she was going to miss her fathers…even if she knew they weren't what she needed. She had grown up with these men, and they were really all she knew. Rachel sniffled and quickly wiped her nose.

Shelby felt Rachel stiffen slightly as the proceedings went on, and tried her best to comfort her. She held her close and rubbed little circles on her arm. She knew this had to be hard for the girl; she couldn't even begin to imagine what she was feeling. But Shelby would be here every step of the way for her, through the ups and downs, the tears and the laughter. She would make sure Rachel was happy with her and knew she was loved, if it was the last thing she did.

"You also understand that given Miss Corcoran's circumstances, her and Rachel's lives may be…chaotic for a while? We ask that you please not speak to the press about Rachel, Miss Corcoran, or anything else pertaining to this case," Paul continued.

"Of course. We want to give Rachel her best chance at a happy life…Hiram and I both firmly believe that is with Shelby. We won't do anything to jeopardize Rachel's well being and happiness," LeRoy said, turning his eyes to Rachel. He loved Rachel…not the way she deserved…but he loved her as much as he could. And because he and Hiram loved her, they were giving her to Shelby. But how was he supposed to even start to explain that to the girl? Maybe he wouldn't have to…maybe the act of giving her to her mother so she could be happy would be enough for Rachel to understand this is what's best.

"Alright…well, if neither of you have anymore questions, the only thing left is some paperwork to legally change Rachel's surname to Corcoran," said Paul, pulling the correct papers out of his pile and setting them in front of Shelby. "Rachel, you are old enough to have a bit of say in this matter. Before your mother signs the papers, would you like to say anything regarding it? You can still keep the name Berry if you'd prefer."

Rachel looked over at the two men who had raised her and her heart broke. They both looked sad, but neither of them were really looking at her. Then she looked into her mother's eyes. She could just tell from her eyes that her mother loved her. Taking a deep breath, Rachel looked at Paul and said, "I want to be a Corcoran."

Shelby couldn't help but tear up at hearing her daughter say she wanted to take her last name. Part of Shelby had been afraid that maybe Rachel would want to keep her fathers' last name. Squeezing her daughter reassuringly, Shelby pulled the paper towards her and quickly signed it, making it official. She then smiled at Rachel and leaned in to give her a quick peck on the cheek.

"Well, that's everything on my end. Mr. Sawyer?" Paul said, looking to the attorney sitting across from him.

"No, that's it. Everything is cut and dry," Mr. Sawyer replied, taking the copies of Shelby's signed papers from Paul.

Paul shook hands with the Berry men and Mr. Sawyer and then turned to Shelby. "It was a pleasure seeing you, Shelby. Rachel, it was nice to meet you. I wish you both much happiness in the future. Shelby, you have my number if anything arises," he said.

Shelby stood Rachel up in front of her and then got to her feet as well. "Say hello to Helen for me, Paul. And the kids as well," she said, hugging the man before turning to the others in the room.

Rachel stood close to her mother, unsure of what she should do. She wasn't sure what to say to her fathers really…what do you say in this situation? Have a nice life? She wasn't even sure if she would ever see them again. At that thought, Rachel felt the first tears make their way down her cheeks.

Hiram and LeRoy glanced over at Rachel and noticed her tears. Hiram took hold of LeRoy's hand and lead him over to the small girl. "Rachel…be good," Hiram said. He had wanted to tell her he loved her, but it hadn't come out. He reached out and pulled Rachel into a hug, and LeRoy quickly joined in. It didn't last long, and a few minutes later, both men were making their departure. Rachel just stared off after them.

Now Shelby and Rachel were the only ones left in the room. Jackie had went downstairs to offer a statement to the press to help quell some of the frenzy before mother and daughter entered the fray, and Shelby's bodyguards were waiting outside the now closed door. They had all figured mother and daughter needed a few minutes alone.

Shelby held Rachel close as the girl cried quietly. "Everything is going to be okay Rachel, I promise," she said, planting kiss after kiss on Rachel's head. Shelby wished she could take away all of her baby's hurt with just a hug. "Mommy's here, baby."

Everything would turn out okay. Shelby would make sure of it.

* * *

_Author's Note: The song Shelby sang to Rachel is called "Baby Mine" from Disney's Dumbo, but this particular version is by Alison Krauss (it's a bit longer than the original). I encourage you to look it up on YouTube, it's a beautiful song. _


	2. New Beginnings

_Hello Readers! I hope you all had a wonderful Christmas (for those who celebrate it) and New Years! I apologize for the delay. My family found out my dog was sick on Christmas Eve, and we had to put her to sleep this past Saturday. I spent the last week with Sadie, trying to make sure she knew she was loved. I really didn't have a lot of time to write._

_Anyway, I hope you enjoy this chapter! _

_Love from  
__DARecruit_

**Chapter Two: New Beginnings**

Rachel sat on one of two plush queen-sized beds in the hotel room, flipping through the onDemand movies on the tv while Shelby was in the shower. Rachel felt like it was midnight, but it was only a little after five thirty in the afternoon. The day had been long and her emotions were all over the place. She had cried for a good fifteen minutes in the conference room at Mr. Sawyer's office, and then had to face the screaming paparazzi for the first time since this whole thing happened. It wasn't what she was expecting. It wasn't glamorous or exciting; no, it was terrifying. All Rachel wanted to do was bury her head in her mother's shoulder and hide from all of the prying eyes. Luckily, her mother's bodyguards Tom and Josh were fully prepared for the onslaught and got mother and daughter safely into the car within minutes. Then she had cried some more once they got to their suite. Her mother had cuddled with her until Rachel fell asleep. She had woken up thirty minutes ago just as her mom was getting ready to shower and had been told she'd be next.

"Alright little girl, your turn," Shelby said, plopping down on the bed next to Rachel and patting the girl's thigh.

"I was trying to find something for us to watch," said Rachel, curling herself up next to her mother and breathing in the coconut scent from her mother's shampoo.

"You can do that again after you shower. And I'll order some room service for us," Shelby said, kissing Rachel's forehead. This was the happiest she had ever felt, and she never wanted this feeling to end.

"Will you order us a white pizza? And french-fries?" Rachel asked, snuggling closer to her mother. She smiled when Shelby began running her fingers through Rachel's hair. It was such a simple gesture, but it meant the world to Rachel. It was comforting for her.

"I sure will. Now you really need to go shower, sweet-pea," Shelby said, sitting up and helping Rachel up as well. She propelled Rachel towards the bathroom with a soft pat to her bottom.

Rachel couldn't help but smile as she walked off to go take a shower. It felt like she had been living with her mother her whole life. They fit each other so well.

Shelby watched her daughter flit off to the bathroom with a smile on her face. Her heart was almost overflowing with love for her baby girl. And she was finally hers. It was a dream come true…Shelby just hoped she never woke from it.

**Open Arms * Open Arms * Open Arms**

Mother and daughter sat on the bed, laughing hysterically at a _Friends_ episode, their dinner plates long forgotten at the small dinning table. "Mom?" said Rachel when the episode and their laughter had ended.

Shelby's heart fluttered. It happened every time Rachel called her "mom" or "mommy". She knew for a fact she would never get tired of hearing her baby say it. "Hmm?"

"What…what happens now?" Rachel asked. So far, her mother had only ever talked about signing the papers and coming to get her. They hadn't gone into further details. Rachel couldn't handle it at the time. But now that the papers were signed and Rachel was officially Shelby's, she wanted to know what was going to happen. Would she have to move away from Lima? It wouldn't be that big of a deal, would it? It's not like Rachel had any friends here. She was in clubs at school, but she was picked on mercilessly every single day. It was pure hell. But Lima was the only thing Rachel had ever known. On the other hand…her mother lived in New York. It was Rachel's dream to make it on Broadway…perhaps she could make that dream come true sooner than she originally planned.

"Well sweetie…we'll figure things out together. I need to take you back to New York with me for a week or two, but I want us to look at a few houses here before we leave. I've already picked a few out, but I want your opinion," Shelby said.

"We're…you're moving here?" Rachel asked, blinking quickly a few times.

"Of course we are, sweetie. This is your home. I want to make things as easy on you as possible, and I don't think uprooting you and moving you to New York is the best option," said Shelby, smiling.

"But what about Broadway? Your career?" Rachel asked, her brow furrowing.

"Oh baby," Shelby said, pulling Rachel onto her lap, "Broadway will go on without me. Nothing is more important than you."

Rachel bit her lip and thought about what her mom was telling her. Her fathers had never told her that. They were both workaholics. She knew their jobs were important to them. They never neglected Rachel or left her alone, but they would rather talk to each other about their jobs than talk to Rachel about her interests. Or, they'd try talking to Rachel about their days, but Rachel wasn't any more interested in their day than they were hers.

"No one's ever…ever told me that before," Rachel said so softly that Shelby had to lean in close to hear her.

Shelby's heart almost broke. She wanted to take away all of Rachel's pain. She was so grateful that she had her child with her now. She would spend the rest of her life making sure Rachel was happy.

"I love you, Rachel. So much. I would do anything for you, you know that?" Shelby said, kissing Rachel's head and holding her close to her. She rocked back and forth slightly and began to hum softly.

"I love you too, Mom," Rachel said, curled up protectively in her mom's arms. It was the best feeling in the world, if you asked her. "Will you sing to me?"

**Open Arms * Open Arms * Open Arms**

Shelby sat gently next to Rachel, not wanting to wake her just yet. She looked so young when she was sleeping. Shelby just wanted to watch her for a bit. They didn't need to rush today anyway.

Shelby had sung to Rachel last night and the girl was asleep by nine o'clock. It had been a long, emotional day for both mother and daughter. Shelby gently laid Rachel in bed and crawled in besides her. There were two beds in the suite, but Shelby didn't want to leave Rachel's side. She had spent fourteen years apart from her child; she didn't want to spend another minute away from her.

Gently stroking Rachel's cheek, Shelby began to sing softly.

_Suddenly you're here  
__Suddenly it starts  
__Can two anxious hearts  
__Beat as one?  
__Yesterday I was alone  
__Today you are beside me  
__Something still unclear  
__Something not yet here  
__Has begun_

_Suddenly the world  
__Seems a different place  
__Somehow full of grace  
__Full of light_

_How was I to know that so much hope  
__Was held inside me?  
__What has past is gone  
__Now we journey on  
__Through the night_

_How was I to know at last  
__That happiness could come so fast?  
__Trusting me the way you do  
__I'm so afraid of failing you  
__Just a child who cannot know  
__That danger follows where I go  
__There are shadows everywhere  
__And memories I cannot share_

_Nevermore alone  
__Nevermore apart  
__You have warmed my heart  
__Like the sun_

_You have brought the gift of life  
__And love so long denied me  
__Suddenly I see  
__What I could not see  
__Something suddenly has begun_

Rachel stirred, hearing her mother's beautiful voice singing to her. She nuzzled into the hand stroking her cheek and yawned, her eyes fluttering open.

"Good morning, sweetheart. I didn't mean to wake you," Shelby said, kissing her daughter's forehead. She brushed a lock of hair that had fallen over Rachel's face behind her ear. "Did you sleep well?"

"Mmmhmmm," Rachel hummed, stretching. "What time is it?"

"Just a little after nine-thirty. Do you want to shower?"

"I never sleep this late," Rachel said, immediately sitting up.

"What? Late? It's…it's not even ten yet," Shelby said. She herself was not exactly a morning person. She got up early for work or when she had plans, but if she had it her way, she'd never get up before ten or eleven on any given day.

"I'm normally up by seven at the latest," said Rachel, throwing the covers off of herself.

"Whoa, slow down! Where's the fire?" Shelby quipped. She was going to have to try to break Rachel of her early rising it seemed. "There's no need to rush, sweetie. We are going to have lunch with the family, but not until noon. We don't need to leave here until quarter to eleven. So relax."

"F-family?" Rachel stammered. "Are they…what if…I…"

"Are you…do you not want to meet them today? They're all so excited to see you, and I wanted it to be a surprise for you today, but I didn't…Sweetie, I'm sorry, I didn't think that it would scare you," Shelby said, her heat beating fast. She truly didn't think Rachel would have a problem meeting her family; the girl had taken to her so fast yesterday, it was like they had been together her whole life. But maybe she should tell her family to hold off for a while, give Rachel more time.

"No…I…I was just…shocked, for a minute. It's fine," Rachel stammered. She wasn't sure she was ready to meet Shelby's family…_her_ family. But she could see it meant a great deal to her mother. And she did want to jump in and be a part of Shelby's life right away. And that meant meeting the family, didn't it? Only…what if they didn't like Rachel? Would her mother still keep her? Or would she send her away? Where would Rachel go then?

"Rachel, sweetie, you can say no if you really aren't ready. I won't be upset and your grandparents and aunts, uncles and cousins will understand. I love you, and they love you. But we can wait until you're ready," Shelby said, adjusting herself so she was propped against the headboard. She then pulled Rachel to her side and the girl immediately cuddled into her side.

"I…I want to meet them…it's just…Mommy?" Rachel faltered, unsure of how to tell her mother her fears. She looked into her mom's eyes, feeling tears beginning to well in her own.

"What baby? Talk to me, tell me what you're thinking," said Shelby, cupping Rachel's face between her hands and brushing a tear away with her thumb.

"What if they don't…like me? I'm not…I don't…A lot of people don't like me," Rachel said quietly, casting her eyes down and beginning to cry in earnest.

"They will _love_ you, baby. They already love you. It's impossible not to," Shelby said, holding her child close. She rubbed Rachel's back and rocked them both gently. She didn't even care when Rachel rubbed face on Shelby's blouse, getting tears and snot down the front. "If you want to meet them today, we can. If you'd rather wait and just spend some more time with just me, we can do that too."

"Would…where would be h-having lunch with them?" Rachel asked through her sobs.

"At your Nana and PopPop's. They live just outside of Columbus. It'll take us about forty-five minutes to an hour to get there. I have the car service coming to pick us up. But sweetie, I really can cancel it all if you want me to," Shelby said.

"N-no, I want to go," said Rachel, her tears lessening.

"Are you sure? Rachel, look at me," said Shelby, hooking her finger under Rachel's chin and forcing her to look up. "I don't want you saying yes just to please me. I promise I won't be mad if you want it to be us for a bit."

"I'm sure. I promise, Mommy," Rachel replied, earning a kiss from Shelby. She held onto her mother and soaked up the attention. She never got this many hugs and cuddles from her fathers, ever. She could really get used to this.

**Open Arms * Open Arms * Open Arms**

Shelby looked over at her daughter for the one-thousandth time since they got in the car forty minutes ago. Rachel kept reassuring her mother that she was positive she wanted to go through with meeting the family today, but Shelby now had reservations. Last night she had been so excited to surprise Rachel with the news that she'd be meeting her family, but now, after Rachel told her her fears, Shelby just wasn't sure. She knew her parents, brothers and sisters, and nieces and nephews would love Rachel—there was no doubt in her mind about that—but after everything Rachel had been through this past month, she just wanted to make sure not to upset Rachel anymore than she already was. Shelby knew her little girl was confused and was hurting—all the crying she had done in the past two days was proof of that. But Rachel also thrived under all the love Shelby was giving her. She knew the rest of the family would do the same.

"Mom?"

"Yes sweetheart?"

"Will you tell me about my cousins again?" Rachel asked. Her mom had already told her the names of all _seven_ of her cousins—it was a lot for Rachel, who didn't have any cousins on either of her fathers' sides. There was JJ, he was Rachel's oldest cousin at seventeen. Lexi, his sister, was a few months older than Rachel and was extremely excited to meet Rachel because she also liked musicals. Then there was Haley who had just turned sixteen. Rachel also had four younger cousins: Michael, Luke, and identical twins Robbie and Tyler, (twelve, ten, and seven, respectively). "Do you think JJ, Lexi, and Haley will like me?"

"The four of you will be best of friends, baby," Shelby replied, rubbing Rachel's knee.

"I don't really have any friends," said Rachel softly.

"Don't worry, Rach. That's all going to change now," Shelby said.

"How do you know?" Rachel asked, unsure.

"Mother's intuition, dear," said Shelby, tapping her temple and winking at her daughter.

Before Rachel knew it, the car was pulling into a long driveway with a two-car garage at the end. A basketball hoop was attached to the roof, and it looked like all of Rachel's cousins were shooting hoops. The oldest boy, who Rachel knew was JJ, picked up a small boy cousin so the boy could dunk the basketball. The boy squealed in delight and JJ swung the boy around twice before setting him back on his feet and ruffling his hair. A few adults were milling around in the backyard, laughing and talking. They all stopped when the car pulled up. Rachel could feel her heart beginning to beat rapidly as her mother opened the door and climbed out. A moment later her own door was opened and Shelby offered her her hand.

"Come on, sweetie. It'll be ok," Shelby said comfortingly, pulling Rachel out of the car and into her arms for a quick hug. When she released the girl, she wasn't surprised that her family had gathered around, whispering excitedly.

Shelby's older brother Ben helped the driver get the suitcases out of the trunk and passed them off to oldest brother John Jr., or Jack as he liked to be called, and John Sr. "Hey everyone," Shelby greeted, hugging her mother Diane before turning to her older sister.

"Everyone, this is my Rachel," Shelby beamed, putting a comforting hand on Rachel's shoulder. She squeezed gently and moved her daughter so she was standing in front of her. "Rachel, this is your family."

Rachel was a bit overwhelmed at everyone gathered around her and her mother, but they were all smiling warmly at her and looked nice enough. She tried to listen to everyone's names as she was being passed from adult to adult, hugs and kisses given freely.

Being introduced to the cousins didn't involved nearly as many hugs, but was still overwhelming, mainly because Rachel wanted them to like her from the start. She wasn't exactly good at making friends, especially with those her age. She was hoping since they were her cousins, it would be easier to make them like her…but she wasn't sure at all.

The three little boy cousins, Luke, Tyler, and Robbie bounced around Rachel and asked her if she liked trucks, sports, and X-Men. Rachel wasn't a fan of trucks, she knew very little about sports, and X-Men? What was that?

"Aw, you have to watch with us! We have all of them! Cartoons _and_ real movies!" Robbie, one of the seven-year-old twins, said. "We can go watch now, if you want!"

"Robbie, maybe Rachel can watch that with you another time. Today we are having a cook-out, remember?" Diane said, scooping the boy into her arms so he would stop trying to jump into Rachel's. She could tell the girl was overwhelmed, so she wanted to do her best to make her feel at ease. The Corcoran bunch could be a lot to handle, after all.

Rachel smiled shyly at her grandmother, grateful for the bit of help. She thought Robbie was sweet, with his freckled face, wavy brown hair, and big green eyes. He waved back at her when Nana walked towards the house with him, calling after the two other little boys for them to follow.

"Well let's not stand around here all day! Jack, Ben, would you mind taking the girls' suitcases to the guest rooms? Your mother will tell you where to put them," John told his two boys.

"Sure, Pop," Jack replied, shoving his brother playfully as they both went to reach for the same suitcase. "Get your own. I've got this one."

"Kids, go wash up; your grandmother will get her slipper if she sees any of you trying to eat with those dirty hands!" John told the children, laughing as they all groaned good-naturally.

Rachel watched as most of her family went off towards the house, leaving her, her mother, and her aunt standing there alone.

"Rachel, it's so good to finally meet you, sweetheart. Your mom has been so excited since she found out she was getting custody of you. She hasn't shut up…Granted, she hardly _ever_ shuts up—"

"Lauren!" Shelby scolded, shoving her older sister. "Your Aunt LuLu is right about me being excited, but don't listen to anything else she tells you. It's not true!" Shelby said, turning to her daughter and throwing an arm around her shoulders. "Come on, let's go eat! I'm starving!"

**Open Arms * Open Arms * Open Arms**

Rachel spent lunch laughing and answering any questions thrown at her, but mostly she listened to stories everyone was telling her. Uncle Jack told a story of a time when he and Uncle Ben had been in the basement playing with their BB guns (which they weren't supposed to be playing with in the house) while their parents were out. The boys had set up target practice with some of their army men on some boxes they had found. Everything was going great, until Ben hit the box instead of the army men. They heard breaking and rushed to open the box, only to find their mother's good China inside. They had tried to hide the evidence, but when their mother got home, she knew immediately that something was wrong from their eagerness to help her with anything around the house.

"I mean, really, who keeps their good plates in random boxes in the basement?" Ben asked, giving his mother a look.

"I put them in there because we had to get a new China cabinet, which you and your brother _also_ broke, remember?" Nana replied, glaring at her son.

"I just remember we couldn't sit for about a week after you finished giving us the slipper!" Jack finished, shivering dramatically. The rest of the family burst into laughter.

Rachel chuckled along with everyone else, but gave her grandmother a nervous glance. This was the third or fourth time someone mentioned her grandmother's slipper. Apparently it was well known among her children and grandchildren. She just hoped she'd never become acquainted with it.

The kids sat around and listened to a few more stories before the younger boys and JJ went off to play basketball again and Nana and Aunt Sarah started clearing the plates from the table.

"Want help, Mom?" Shelby asked to be polite, but secretly hoped her mother turned her down. She really hadn't gotten to spend any time with her family recently due to her show schedule. She smiled when her mother just waved her offer aside and told her to stay put.

"Suck up," Jack said, leaning across the table so only his sister could hear him.

"Rachel, would you…do you want to go hangout in the house with me and Haley?" Lexi asked a bit nervously. She knew Rachel was her cousin, but this was the first time any of them were meeting her. Still, she seemed nice (maybe a little bossy), but Lexi was used to that from her brother and older cousin. Rachel actually reminded Lexi a lot of her Aunt Shelby. It was amazing how much she was like her aunt when Shelby didn't raise Rachel. Shelby was Lexi's favorite aunt, so Lexi had a feeling her and Rachel would become close as well.

Rachel looked to her mother for permission. "Go on, sweetie," Shelby said, smiling warmly at her child. Rachel returned it and then got up to follow her two girl cousins into the house.

Haley and Lexi began to give Rachel a tour of the house, but as soon as they hit the living room, Rachel had begged them to stop. It was a long, rectangular room painted a pretty light blue. A dark blue sofa sat in the middle of the room, against the wall where two windows faced out towards the driveway. Two recliners sat to the left of the sofa in the two corners of the far wall with old, battered side tables between them. Handmade doilies sat on each with plain wooden lamps with large cream shades. A battered coffee table sat in front of the sofa, and all the furniture faced the thirty-six inch flat screen tv. On the other side of the room was a rocking chair, and next to that was a beautiful upright piano. It had caught Rachel's attention as soon as they entered the room. It was a rich cherry red wood with beautifully carved rosettes adorning the legs.

Rachel stepped towards the piano slowly. She had always wanted a piano when she was little, but her fathers had always told her no. They did pay for her to take lessons for a few years. She looked back to her cousins, noticing they were watching her carefully. "Can I…am I allowed to touch it?" she asked.

"Go ahead," Haley said as she shrugged her shoulders, not quite sure what was so special about the piano that had Rachel looking like it was magic or something. The piano was PopPop's; it had been his father's. He played it sometimes at night for everyone. No one else knew how to play it, except Shelby, and she was hardly ever here anymore. PopPop hadn't played in a long time.

Rachel didn't need to be told twice. She quickly went over to sit at the bench and touched the keys lightly. She quickly played the scale to make sure it was in tune. It sounded perfect! She looked back at her cousins and gave them a broad smile.

"You can play?" Lexi asked, awestruck. She had always wanted to learn, but her older brother had made fun of her when they were little for liking the piano. She had never bothered to ask her parents after that.

"Yeah," Rachel said, looking back at the piano adoringly.

"Play something for us!" said Lexi excitedly.

Rachel thought for a moment before she began to play. And then she started to sing.

_On my own  
__Pretending he's beside me  
__All alone  
__I walk with him till morning  
__Without him  
__I feel his around me  
__And when I way I close my eyes  
__And he has found me_

Rachel was in her element. She loved to sing. Her problems never seemed so big when she was singing. She put everything into it. She let go…she was free.

Lexi's mouth dropped open when she heard her cousin begin to sing. Rachel could even give Aunt Shel a run for her money, and that was saying something! She looked over at Haley and smiled. She could tell the older girl felt the same way she was. It was giving her goose bumps it was so good!

Haley stood in shock for a moment. She hadn't expected Rachel to start singing, but damn the girl was good! Shaking herself, she quickly went to get the rest of her family. They needed to hear this!

_In the rain the pavement shines like silver  
__All the lights are misty in the river  
__In the darkness, the trees are full of starlight  
__And all I see is him and me forever and forever_

"Hey guys, come quick! You need to see this!" Haley yelled as soon as she was back with the rest of the family. The adults looked at her questioningly.

"Is everything alright, Hale?" Lauren asked her daughter. The girl was flushed and urging them to come with her.

"You have to see…Rachel," Haley panted. "Come on! BOYS!" she called to her cousins.

The family quickly followed Haley into the house and then the living room. They could hear someone playing the piano and singing, but it didn't really hit them until they made their way completely into the living room. Rachel was sitting at the piano, playing a _Les Mis__é__rables_ song, and singing beautifully. It was absolutely…stunning.

_I love him  
__But every day I'm learning  
__All my life  
__I've only been pretending  
__Without me  
__His world would go on turning  
__A world that's full of happiness  
__That I have never known_

_I love him  
__I love him  
__I love him  
__But only on my own_

Rachel finished to a round of applause that she wasn't expecting. She was so engrossed in the music that she hadn't even realized anyone was watching her. She smiled broadly when her entire family stared back at her.

Shelby had tears in her eyes as she listened to her baby singing. She was truly an angel. Her angel. As soon as Rachel stood from the bench, Shelby had her baby in her arms. "I love you, Rach," she whispered into her daughter's hair.

"Love you too, Mommy," Rachel whispered back, soaking in her mother's love.

**Open Arms * Open Arms * Open Arms**

Later that night, after all the cousins and aunts and uncles left, Shelby sat on the edge of the queen-sized bed in the room that she used to share with LuLu. It had since been converted into a guest bedroom, as had Jack and Ben's old bedroom. Rachel was staying in here while Shelby was staying in the other room. It was eleven at night and Shelby was waiting for Rachel to come back from the bathroom so she could tuck her in.

"Hey sweetie," Shelby said when Rachel came back into the room in pajamas. "Did you have fun today?"

"Yeah, it was good," Rachel said as she came over to the bed, grabbing her lion Henry from her suitcase on the way. She hadn't slept with him last night because she had fallen asleep to her mother's singing, but normally she never slept without him. He was her security blanket, so to speak. She had had him since she was a baby. He made her feel safe. She crawled into bed and tucked him in her left arm, against her chest so that his mane tickled her chin.

Shelby smiled at her daughter. She looked so much younger when she was sleepy and cuddling with her stuffed animal. "What's his name?" she asked, pulling the covers around Rachel.

"Henry," Rachel said sleepily, pulling him even closer and running her fingers through his mane.

"You know, I bought that for you when I was still pregnant with you. I slept with him for two whole months before you were born so that he would smell like me. I wanted you to have something to remember me by," Shelby said softly.

"Really?" Rachel asked, her eyes wide. Her fathers had never told her that. And she had had Henry so long, she never even thought about where he came from. He was just always there.

"Really," Shelby smiled, leaning down to kiss Rachel's forehead.

"I like how you smell…it's nice," Rachel mumbled, her eyes beginning to flutter.

"Thank you, sweetie. I love you," Shelby said, stroking Rachel's hair.

"You too, Mommy," said Rachel, sighing deeply. "Mommy?"

"Hmm?"

"He doesn't smell like you anymore," said Rachel, her face scrunching up in a pout. She looked just like a toddler right now. Shelby chuckled softly to herself.

"Hold on, I'll fix that," she said, gently disentangling Henry from Rachel. She went quickly into her room two doors down and grabbed out her perfume bottle. Holding Henry in her right hand, she spritzed him a few times with the vanilla scent.

"Here, sweetheart. Now he smells like me," Shelby said as she joined Rachel again. She tucked Henry back into Rachel's arm and readjusted the covers some, smoothing them over Rachel's body. "Goodnight, baby. I love you," Shelby whispered, kissing Rachel again. The girl had already fallen asleep.

Shelby quietly made her way out the door, shutting it gently. She then went towards her bedroom to get ready for bed herself.

**Open Arms * Open Arms * Open Arms**

Shelby woke from a dead sleep. She opened her eyes groggily, trying to adjust to the darkness. What time was it? She immediately became alert when she heard her daughter crying out. That is what must have woken her. She jumped out of bed and ran towards her baby.

"Rachel? Rachel? What's wrong, baby?" Shelby asked as soon as she opened the door. As she got closer to the bed, she saw Rachel kicking some. She was clearly having a bad dream. She sat down besides Rachel and gently reached for her shoulder, shaking her gently. "Wake up, baby. You're having a bad dream."

Rachel woke with a start. She could feel cold sweat running down her face. She sat up quickly and looked around, trying to figure out where she was. Someone touched her and she screamed.

"Shhh! Rachel, it's just me! It's Mommy," Shelby said soothingly, moving so she could wrap her arms around her scared child. "Everything is ok. You're safe. Mommy's got you."

"Mommy…Mommy, don't let Nana get me!" Rachel cried, burying her face in her mother's shoulder. "She has her slipper. Don't let her get me!"

Shelby knew her daughter was frightened, but she had a hard time not laughing. All the stories they were telling earlier about her mother's dreaded slipper must have made an impression on her girl.

"Shh, Nana isn't going to get you. You're safe," Shelby cooed. Rachel let her mother cuddle her while her crying subsided.

Shelby maneuvered herself so that she was laying propped up against the pillows and Rachel was almost on top of her, her cheek against Shelby's chest. She rubbed Rachel's back all the way to her bottom, patting her gently like you would a baby to get her to settle down.

Rachel calmed down considerably as her mother held her. Her head was resting on her mother's chest so she could hear her mom's heartbeat. The steady beating of her heart coupled with the gentle pats to Rachel's bottom made Rachel feel safe and loved.

"Mommy?"

"Yes, baby?"

"Will you stay with me?"

"Of course I will, sweetie. Are you feeling a little better now?" Shelby asked, kissing Rachel's head.

"Mmmhmm," Rachel hummed, sighing contently. Shelby smiled.

"I'm glad, baby. Let's get under the covers now, come on," Shelby said, scooting Rachel over so she could get more comfortable. She then pulled the covers over both of them and handed Rachel her lion. Rachel nestled Henry in her arms around and moved closer to her mother. Shelby happily opened her arms and pulled Rachel against her, spooning her. "Let's get some sleep."

"Mommy?" Rachel asked a moment later.

"Mmm?" Shelby mumbled, barely awake.

"Would Nana really use her slipper on me?" Rachel asked. She had been worrying about it earlier, and she really needed to know the answer if she hoped to sleep without any more nightmares.

Shelby shook her sleep off yet again so she could answer her daughter. "No, sweetheart. She won't use her slipper on you. She always threatened to use it on us as kids, and she does the same to her grandchildren. It's just a joke, sweetie," Shelby explained.

"But Uncle Jack said that him and Uncle Ben couldn't sit for a week after Nana's slipper," Rachel said.

"Uncle Jack was exaggerating. Nana spanked him and Uncle Ben for breaking her China. She only ever used her hand though. Like I said, sweetie, it's just a joke. There's no need to be afraid," Shelby said, pulling Rachel closer to her.

"But Mommy—"

"Hush, Rachel. It's time for bed. No more worrying, ok? We can talk about it tomorrow if you want," Shelby said, reaching down to pat Rachel's bottom. It seemed to calm her earlier, and she needed her to go to sleep so Shelby could go back to sleep as well.

Shelby continued to pat Rachel's bottom until she heard her breathing even out. _Thank God_, Shelby thought to herself before drifting off herself.

* * *

_Author's Note: The song I used is "Suddenly" from the movie Les Mis, made especially for the movie. Currently I have a HUGE obsession with the opera, and have been listening to nothing but Les Mis! It's a beautiful song, and I thought it fit well with Shelby and Rachel. The second song Rachel sings is "On My Own", again, from Les Mis (told you I was obsessed). _

_Also, I apologize if there's any typos. I checked for them, but I could have missed some. _


	3. House Hunting

**Chapter Three: House Hunting**

"Rachel, what are you doing?" Shelby moaned early the next morning. She wasn't sure what time it was, but it felt early. She cracked an eye open and noticed that it was still fairly dark in the room.

Rachel was moving around, trying to extract herself from her mother's arms so she could get up. She was an early riser, and she was ready to start her day. Her mother groaned.

"Rachel, lay back down. It isn't time to get up," Shelby said sleepily, pulling Rachel closer to her and kissing her head. She had to smooth down her daughter's bed head so that her hair didn't get in her face.

"Mom, I'm not tired," Rachel whined, squirming in her mother's grasp. She really wanted to get up. It was six thirty—that was plenty late enough.

"Shhh, it's sleepy-time," Shelby replied, closing her eyes. She refused to let go of her stubborn daughter. How was she not still tired? They had a full day yesterday and then Rachel had woken up around two from a nightmare.

Rachel rolled over onto her stomach, hoping to be able to slide out from under her mother's arm. "_Mom!_"

"Just lay with me, baby," Shelby all but whined. She just wanted to go back to sleep. What was wrong with her child that she didn't like sleeping in?

"I don't want to," Rachel said through gritted teeth, pushing her mother away and sitting up.

Shelby huffed. She was definitely not a morning person, especially when her sleep was interrupted during the night. She didn't mind having to comfort her child after her nightmare—quite the opposite, in fact—but she was not expecting a tantrum from said child at this ungodly hour now. "Rachel Barbra, lay back down," Shelby said, now sitting up herself. It was too early for this crap.

Shelby softened slightly at Rachel's timid look she was now giving her. She didn't want to yell at the girl, and she wasn't angry. She was just…a bit cranky. It was too early to be up, and Rachel needed to lie back down for a bit.

"You don't need to sleep if you don't want to, but I want you to lay down with me until at least eight o'clock. That's the earliest any Corcoran in this house will be up and moving. Come on, baby," she said, opening her arms in invitation. She smiled when Rachel scooted back over to her and lay down beside her. Shelby sighed in relief when she returned to her comfy position in bed.

"Just close your eyes and relax. Shhh," Shelby soothed, moving her hand to Rachel's bottom once more to place gentle pats there. She could feel Rachel relax back into the bed and sigh deeply.

**Open Arms * Open Arms * Open Arms**

Shelby was up and on her first cup of coffee by nine o'clock. Rachel was fast asleep in bed. Shelby herself had gotten up around eight-thirty and shook her head at her little girl. For someone who "wasn't tired", she was sure sleeping soundly now. "Stubborn little girl," Shelby whispered, tucking the blankets around Rachel and kissing her head before heading down the hall to the bathroom.

"Morning, Shelby," John smiled at his daughter when she shuffled into the kitchen, heading straight for the coffee pot. "How'd you sleep?"

"Pretty good, Daddy. Rachel gave me a heart attack late last night when she woke me screaming from a nightmare though," Shelby replied, taking a long sip from her cup before going to sit across from her dad.

"Did she? Funny, your mother and I didn't hear a thing. Was she alright?" John replied, putting his morning paper aside to focus on his daughter.

"She was fine. She had a dream that Mom was chasing her with her slipper. She told me not to let Nana get her," Shelby said, laughing softly.

John chuckled and shook his head at his granddaughter's dream. "That _is_ a nightmare, isn't it?" he joked.

"What's a nightmare?" Diane asked as she entered the room, stopping to plant a kiss to Shelby's head before moving about to begin breakfast for her.

"Rachel had a dream that you were chasing her with your slipper. Then she asked me if you would ever actually take your slipper to her," Shelby said.

"And what did you tell her?" Diane asked, placing her hands on her hips and staring at her daughter intently.

"I told her of course you wouldn't! Calm down, Ma. I tried to explain that it was a joke…it was late. I'm not going to let her be scared of you, don't worry," Shelby said quickly, not liking the look her mother was giving her even at thirty-six years old.

"Well, let her stay a little afraid of me. Nothing wrong with a healthy dose of fear," Diane said, winking at her daughter before opening the fridge to pull out the carton of eggs and gallon of milk.

**Open Arms * Open Arms * Open Arms**

Rachel squinted her eyes at the morning light streaming in the window. It was definitely much brighter out than it was the last time she woke up. What time was it exactly? She reached a probing hand out behind her, searching for her mother. When she didn't feel her, she quickly rolled over to an empty bed. Sitting up, she looked over at the clock. It was ten-thirty in the morning! She never slept that late!

Grumbling, Rachel pushed the covers off of herself and stood up. Her mother made her get back in bed this morning when she didn't want to. If she weren't forced to lie back down, she wouldn't have slept this late. What was wrong with her mother? The woman seemed to think it was perfectly acceptable to sleep the whole day away! Still grumbling, the girl made her way to the bathroom to shower.

Twenty minutes later, she found her family down in the living room, chatting amiably. They all smiled when she came in. Rachel noticed, much to her irritation, that her mother was smirking at her.

"Not tired, huh Rach?" Shelby asked, raising her eyebrow playfully at her daughter.

"I _wasn't _tired, and if _you_ weren't such a dictator and had just let me get up when I wanted to, I wouldn't have wasted my whole day!" Rachel yelled, storming out of the room.

Shelby stared off after her daughter as she stomped out of the room, shocked at what just happened. That was the first time Rachel had ever yelled at her, and quite truthfully, Shelby needed a moment to process.

"Looks like someone woke up on the wrong side of the bed," John said, shaking his head and chuckling softly.

"John, this isn't funny!" Diane scolded her husband. "Shelby, aren't you going to go after her? She can't speak to you like that, it's unacceptable!"

"I…This is the first time…I don't know what's up with her," Shelby said, flustered. She was still in shock. For the little bit of time that she had known Rachel, the girl was always so sweet and even-tempered. Hiram and LeRoy had warned her that Rachel could be dramatic at times and had mood swings. They said she could be fine one minute and screaming the next. She hadn't believed it until now.

"Takes after her mother," John said, smirking as both his wife and daughter turned to glare at him.

"What? Daddy! I don't know what you're talking about," Shelby said, making a face at her father.

"Please Shelby, you were exactly the same at Rachel's age. We couldn't talk to you for at least an hour after you got up if we didn't want our heads bitten off. She just needs time to wake up," John replied.

"Go find her and tell her to come to the kitchen, Shelby. I'll start her breakfast," Diane said, getting up to begin pancakes. "And talk to her about that attitude!"

"Mom, Rach and I are still adjusting to each other," Shelby sighed.

"I understand that Shelby, but it's still your responsibility to step in and correct her when she gets out of line. She needs a good swat to her butt," Diane said.

"Mom, I haven't even had her for a full forty-eight hours yet! Things have been going so well, I—"

"Shelby, Rachel needs to know who's in charge! You're her mother, not her friend. Act like it," Diane said, shaking her finger at her daughter. Shelby watched her mother leave and shook her head at her when her back was turned.

"Daddy," Shelby whined, turning towards her father.

"Don't listen to your mother, Shelly," John said quietly, turning his head quickly to make sure his wife was nowhere in sight. "You have good instincts when it comes to Rachel. Go talk to her, but I really do think she's just cranky. My bet is she will be back to normal after getting some food in her belly. But remember, how you deal with your daughter is up to _you_. Don't let your mother or me make your decisions for you. Go with your gut, munchkin."

"Thank you, Daddy," Shelby said, smiling at her dad's childhood nickname for her. She was such a daddy's girl.

"Eventually you _will_ have to correct Rachel though. Not saying today, or tomorrow…I'm just saying that parenting comes with both good and bad. At some point, Rach is going to make mistakes, and you're going to have to discipline her. It might be a good idea to go over some ground rules with her, so you both know what to expect," John continued.

Shelby nodded, going over to kiss her dad's head. "I know, Dad. I'll go find her and talk to her…Tell Mom we'll be down after our chat."

Shelby found Rachel in the guest room, sitting on the bed with Henry clutched in her hands. "Hey baby, let's talk," Shelby said as she stepped into the room, closing the door softly behind her. Rachel looked up at her with a defiant glare that took Shelby by surprise.

"I don't want to talk," Rachel mumbled, playing with Henry's mane.

"Where's the attitude coming from?" Shelby asked as she crossed the room and sat on the bed next to her petulant daughter.

"I don't _have_ an attitude," Rachel retorted.

"Rachel, talk to me. Tell me what's going on in that head of yours," Shelby pleaded. Rachel was like a completely different person right now. Where was her sweet little girl who took every opportunity to cuddle and be as close to Shelby as humanly possible?

"There's nothing to talk about! Why can't you just leave it alone?" Rachel said angrily, trying not to yell. She wasn't exactly sure what was wrong. She was angry with her mom for making her get back in bed when she wanted to get up. Why couldn't she make just one decision for herself? She hadn't been able to make any decisions since finding out her fathers were giving her away. Yes, Rachel loved her mother and was happy, but…everything just happened so quickly. And Rachel still couldn't figure out why her fathers didn't want her. They said they loved her, but you don't give up on someone you love.

"Because clearly something is bothering you or you wouldn't be screaming at me. I'm trying to help here, Rach. I can't do that if you won't tell me what's wrong," Shelby said, reaching over to run her thumb over Rachel's hand. Why couldn't Rachel just talk to her and tell her what was wrong?

"Nothing is wrong, Mom!" Rachel yelled, rising from the bed. She was planning on doing one of her infamous storm outs, but her mother caught her around the middle before she even made it two steps.

"Sit your butt back down. You will not walk away from me when I'm having a conversation with you," Shelby said, her voice stern. She surprised even herself in that moment. _Oh God, I'm starting to sound like my mother!_ Shelby thought. But seeing the stunned look on Rachel's face made Shelby stick to her guns.

Shelby's stern words sliced through Rachel's defenses like a sword, and Rachel stared at her mother in shock for a moment before bursting into tears. The complete three-sixty took Shelby by surprise, but she quickly scooped Rachel into her arms and leaned back against the headboard.

"Tell me what's wrong baby, _please_," Shelby pleaded, feeling tears prickle at her own eyes. Rachel was lying almost completely on top of her, with her head tucked in Shelby's neck, her tears making their way down to Shelby's collar.

"I-I-I'm sorry I yelled at you! Are you g-gonna send me b-b-back now?" Rachel cried. She tried to breathe in the sweet smell of her mother while choking back sobs. This could be the last time she got to be this close to the woman. She needed to ingrain her mother's scent into her memory now before it was too late.

"What? No, of course not, Rach! Why would I send you anywhere?" Shelby asked, wrapping her arms around her baby in an attempt to make her feel safe.

"I h-haven't even been with you long and I'm already s-screwing up!" Rachel wailed.

"Hey now, you are _not_ screwing up!" Shelby assured, running a hand through Rachel's hair.

"I am! I screw everything up! F-first my dads, and now y-you're gonna leave me! I-I'm unlovable!"

"Now you listen here, little girl," Shelby said firmly, placing a slightly-stinging swat to Rachel's bottom, "You aren't screwing anything up, I'm not going to leave you, and you are the furthest thing from unlovable there is!"

"But Mom—"

"No buts, Rachel. There isn't anything you could do or say that will ever make me stop loving you. You are my daughter, my flesh and blood. Yes, I gave you up when you were a baby, but I thought I was giving you to a good family. Turns out your fathers weren't able to provide for you in all of the ways you needed, and they did what was right for you by finding me. Your fathers are good men, Rach…they just…they realized they aren't parent material. I wish they had realized that when you were still a baby, but I have you now and I'm _never_ letting you go," Shelby said, tears making their way down her cheeks.

Shelby held Rachel close and let the girl cry herself out, crying along with her. This whole situation was painful, but Shelby knew good was going to come out of it. She also knew that it was going to be a bit of a bumpy road for her and her daughter for a while, until they adjusted to one another and their new life together.

After another ten minutes, Rachel's crying was under control save for a few hiccups. Shelby had been alternating between rubbing her daughter's back and patting her bottom the whole time, humming softly in her ear while silent tears made their way down Shelby's face.

"Mommy?" Rachel said quietly while scooting off of her mother and sitting up. She wiped at her eyes and nose with the back of her hand.

"Yes baby?" Shelby replied, quickly sitting up and reaching for the box of tissues on the bedside table. She pulled one out and went to work cleaning Rachel's face from tears and snot.

"I really am sorry for yelling at you," said Rachel, letting her mom clean her up without any fuss. She knew she was more than capable of doing that herself, but it felt good to have her mom take care of her.

"I know, sweetheart. I forgive you," Shelby smiled, handing Rachel a third tissue after using the first two to successfully remove all remnants of Rachel's crying from her face. "Blow," she ordered when Rachel took the tissue and began balling it in her fist.

Rachel rolled her eyes but did as she was told, handing her mother the used tissue when she was done so the woman could throw it away in the waste basket next to the side table. She was attempting to crawl over her mother to stand up when her mom pulled her back into a sitting position besides her.

"Rach, before we go back downstairs, I want to go over a few things with you," Shelby said.

"Like what?" asked Rachel, reaching for Henry. She brought his face close to hers and breathed in her mother's perfume.

"Like what I expect from you," said Shelby, watching as Rachel's face sunk. "No, it's nothing bad, sweetie. I just want to go over my rules with you so we're both on the same page. We're going to have to talk about it eventually, and now is as good a time as any."

Rachel sighed and looked at her mother expectantly. She supposed this conversation was going to happen sooner or later, but she had been hoping for later…or never.

Shelby let out a sigh of her own before jumping in. She had been thinking about this conversation for a few weeks now, ever since she found out she was going to be raising Rachel. Shelby thought it was important to really think about her parenting style and figure out what her rules would be. She had grown up with strict but understanding parents. Shelby had always known where the boundaries were and what would happen if she crossed them. She wanted to raise Rachel the way she was raised.

"Ok Rach, first off, there are some things that I just won't tolerate. Lying, cheating, and stealing are high on that list, as are blatant disrespect or doing anything dangerous. Any of those things will earn you a spanking, every time," Shelby said, sounding much more certain than she felt at the moment.

"Mom? S-spanking? Really?" Rachel asked, incredulous. "I-I'm too old!"

"You'll fit over my lap just fine, little girl. Remember that. Those things I won't budge on, baby."

"But Mom, I…I don't want to be spanked!" Rachel whined.

"You won't be spanked for everything, Rach, just the major stuff. Everything else will result in privileges taken away, grounding, that sort of thing. I'm not going over the rules to scare you, baby. You need to know what I expect from you and I think it's fair for you to know the consequences you'll face if you break a rule," Shelby said gently.

"Are you…gonna spank me for yelling at you?" asked Rachel, glancing up at her mother nervously.

Shelby laughed. "No Rach, I'm not going to spank you for that…though I don't recommend making a habit out of it. I will spank you if you continue to yell and be disrespectful after I've given you a warning. I am more than happy to talk to you about anything that is bothering you, but you will do so respectfully. Do you understand?"

Rachel nodded. She was glad her mom wasn't going to spank her for yelling earlier. Truth be told, Rachel had never been spanked. She definitely didn't want one now. Rachel wasn't one to lie, cheat, or steal, so she thought she was safe in those areas. She didn't really do anything dangerous either. The only thing that could get her in trouble was the disrespect, and now that she knew what would happen if she was disrespectful, Rachel was determined to be the most respectful girl there ever was!

"Good girl. Other than that, I expect you to make your bed in the mornings, keep your room clean, do your chores, get good grades in school—the normal stuff," Shelby said.

Rachel nodded again. Those were normal rules, and she could handle them without any trouble.

"Rach, I want you to know that you can always come to me with anything, even if you think I won't like it. I'm your mother. It's my job to take care of you and help you learn and grow. Sometimes I'm going to have to punish you, but I want you to know that I will love you no matter what," Shelby said, pulling her daughter over to her for a hug.

"Let's go get you some breakfast, what do you say? Nana was making pancakes," Shelby said, standing up and pulling Rachel up with her.

**Open Arms * Open Arms * Open Arms**

The next few days went by in a blur for Shelby. Lauren was a real estate agent, so she was taking Shelby and Rachel to what felt like every house up for sale in Ohio. Rachel had vetoed the three houses Shelby had originally chosen to look at, and even Shelby had to admit that she wasn't thrilled with any of those houses once she saw them in person. Rachel had also hated every other house Lauren had shown them. One was too small, the other too big. Another had creaky floors and one was deemed "creepy". To top it all off, the paparazzi were again following Shelby everywhere. By Thursday, Shelby was ready to scream and pull her hair out.

"Mom, I'm tired of looking at houses!" Rachel whined Thursday morning as she and Shelby waited for Lauren to arrive.

"So am I, sweetie. We need to find a house though, and the quicker the better! We leave for New York tomorrow night. Aunt LuLu has four more houses to look at today, and we're going to pick one of them," Shelby replied.

"But what if I don't like them?" Rachel asked.

"Well then, I'll choose for us," Shelby said, sighing. Rachel had been arguing over houses with her all week, and quite frankly, Shelby was getting sick of it.

"But that's not fair!" Rachel moaned, her voice going up an octave. She wasn't yelling—she had been scolded numerous times this week already and Shelby had told her if she yelled once more, she would be getting a spanking. Rachel didn't want to chance it.

"Rachel," Shelby warned, giving her daughter a stern glance. She wasn't up for any more of Rachel's screaming. The girl could reach levels that Shelby didn't even know were possible. "It's more than fair. We've looked at twenty houses or more this week. The ones today are the last, and we're choosing one."

"Mooooooom."

"End of discussion, Rachel. Stop it now," Shelby said, sitting down on the living room sofa and motioning for Rachel to come to her.

Rachel eyed her mom suspiciously. Why did she want her over at the sofa? Why couldn't she stay where she was—far out of Shelby's reach? Her mother raised her left eyebrow, and Rachel begrudgingly went to her—that eyebrow was scary.

Shelby sighed when Rachel came to her and quickly pulled the girl onto her lap. She wrapped her arms around her girl and kissed her forehead. "I love you, Rach. Let's not argue over this," she said, rocking the two of them gently. She felt Rachel relax into her and Shelby enjoyed the quiet moment cuddling with her daughter.

"Shelby! Rach! I'm here!" Lauren called out, appearing in the doorway a moment later. "And I brought a stow-away!" she added, pointing to Lexi.

Rachel smiled and jumped out of her mother's arms, running over to her cousin. Out of all of her cousins, Rachel was becoming closest with Lexi. When first meeting her, Rachel was a little timid because Lexi looked like all of the popular girls at school that picked on her—she had long, dirty-blonde hair and blue eyes, and was absolutely beautiful. Plus, she was on the cheerleading team at Carmel. But Lexi was also into the arts—theatre, singing, and painting. She wasn't your typical blonde cheerleader by any means, and Rachel adored that about her.

"I thought Rachel could use a distraction," Lauren whispered to her little sister as she took a seat next to her. "Hopefully having Lexi along will calm little Miss Opinionated down and we can settle on a house already!"

"You are _amazing_," Shelby whispered back, smiling broadly.

"I know," Lauren quipped, wagging her eyebrows at her sister.

Shelby looked over at the two teenagers giggly and talking quietly. She was glad Rachel was getting along so well with her niece; she knew she would, the two were so alike.

"Alright girls, let's get on the road. Those houses won't show themselves!" Lauren said as she stood and held her hand out to pull Shelby up.

**Open Arms * Open Arms * Open Arms**

"Mom, I love it!" Rachel said, bouncing up and down in the living room of house number four.

It was music to Shelby's ears. The previous three houses Rachel had torn to shreds. The rooms were too small, the carpet was ugly, the windows were old—the list went on and on. Shelby didn't even pay attention anymore. The houses were all fine…but even Shelby didn't feel like any of them were the right fit for her and Rachel. Not until they pulled up to 2218 Sycamore Lane.

It was a beautiful butter yellow Cape May Victorian with a large wrap-around porch and white picket fence. It was…perfect. The yard was large enough to put a pool in if Shelby wanted, with ample space left over for cookouts and games. It had a driveway large enough to fit at least four cars in and had a sunroom that led out into the backyard that Shelby absolutely adored.

The inside was just as gorgeous as the outside, with large, open rooms and four bedrooms on the second floor. The master bedroom had its own in-suite bathroom and a second bathroom joined the two larger bedrooms with another door leading into the main hall. The fourth and smallest bedroom would make a great office space. Rachel would take the bedroom directly across from the master, and the last bedroom Shelby would turn into the guest room.

"Lu, this is it," Shelby said happily, taking a deep breath of relief. She was thrilled their house hunt was over and their next chapter as mother and daughter could begin.

"Let's check out the basement, shall we?" Lauren replied, returning her sister's smile. She walked over to her bouncing niece and steered her into the kitchen and through the door to the basement.

Shelby signaled for Lexi to go down before her, while she paused in the kitchen. Shelby could already imagine cooking dinner in the house, the smell of herb chicken wafting from the oven as Rachel lounged in the living room watching tv and talking animatedly to her through the large archway connecting the rooms. Shelby ran her fingers over the sandy-colored granite surface of the kitchen island, imagining Rachel sitting at a stool on a Saturday morning watching as her mother prepared pancakes for breakfast.

"MOM! C'MON!" Rachel yelled from downstairs, shaking Shelby out of her daydreaming.

"Rachel, jeez, yell louder. They couldn't hear you five miles away," Lauren said in jest, shaking her head at the little drama queen. The girl was practically bouncing off the walls she was so excited.

Rachel bounded over to her mother and hugged her tightly, attempting to get her to jump up and down with her. Shelby had to quickly regain her balance and wrapped her arms tightly around her child so the girl wouldn't send them both tumbling towards the ground. She was just a little ball of energy. Shelby hoped, at least, that she would sleep well tonight and not fight her bedtime like every other night previously.

"Rach, calm down now, sweetie. I know you like the house," Shelby said into Rachel's hair, just barely managing not to be hit in the chin by the bouncing head.

"Mommy, look how big it is down here! Can we get a piano? And a puppy? We should put a pool out back! Oh and—" Rachel said excitedly, still bouncing.

"Whoa, Rach! One thing at a time! Why don't you and Lexi go check out the backyard while Aunt LuLu and I talk about the boring stuff?" Shelby said, pulling back and trying to hold her daughter still. It wasn't working.

"Yeah Rach, c'mon! We can go figure out the perfect place for the pool!" Lexi said, grabbing her cousin's hand and dragging her towards the stairs. Shelby just shook her head after the two teens.

"This is a beautiful house," Shelby said as she surveyed the basement. It was a large room, completely finished with hardwood floors and light wood paneling on the walls. A small hallway led to the laundry room and a small storage room with shelves lining the walls.

"It is. I think this will be a great house for you and Rachel. It's in the perfect location; it's calm here, quiet. Plus it's about equal distance from McKinley and Mom and Dad's house. Can't get much better than that, Shel," Lauren said, coming over to hug her little sister.

"It would be awesome if Aunt Shel got a pool put in. Then I know me and JJ and Haley would be here all the time! The rest of the kids too," Lexi said as she and Rachel made their way out to the backyard.

"Yeah," Rachel said, smiling at her cousin. She hoped her mom would get a pool so her cousins would want to come over all the time. She liked when they were around, especially Lexi. "Will you…will you still come over even if we don't get a pool?" Rachel asked timidly, casting her eyes down.

"What? Of course, silly! We're family," Lexi said, punching Rachel's arm like she would her older brother or cousin Haley. Rachel was one of them now, even if she didn't grow up with the rest of them from a baby. She was a Corcoran and that's what mattered. "And we're friends," she added.

Rachel smiled at her cousin and felt a few tears pool in her eyes. "I-I'm not used to having friends," she whispered, quickly swiping at her eyes.

Lexi reached over to place a gentle hand on Rachel's shoulder. She couldn't even begin to imagine what Rachel was going through. She spent fourteen years with parents that she thought wanted her, only to find out that they couldn't or didn't want to be her parents. Then she gets sent to live with a mother she doesn't even know. Lexi loved her Aunt Shelby; she was probably the coolest person she's ever met, but she would probably be afraid too if she had to go live with someone she didn't know, even if they were family. Rachel seemed to be adjusting pretty well to the family so far. Lexi saw how close Rach and her aunt were already; they acted like they had always been together. But Lexi was sure Rachel was hurting inside anyway. And now Rachel said she wasn't used to having friends…Lexi's heart broke for her younger cousin.

"Aunt Shelby told my mom that you're in a lot of clubs at school…And you're amazing at singing, Rach. Don't you…don't you have at least a few friends at school? People you hang out with?" Lexi asked gently, not wanting to upset Rachel by her questions.

Rachel sighed and shook her head. "Can this stay between us?" she asked.

"Of course. I won't tell," Lexi replied, pretending to turn a key at her lips to lock them.

"I'm picked on all the time at school. People would make fun of me because I have…_had_ two gay dads. They laughed at how I dress. Someone started calling me Man-Hands last year and it stuck. Now everyone calls me that. I'm in a lot of clubs because I thought it would look good on college applications. I sit by myself all the time…I eat lunch in the auditorium a lot. No one goes in there, so I'm left alone for at least half an hour every day," Rachel said, tears now falling steadily down her cheeks. She had never told anyone about her school life. It felt good to finally tell someone.

"Oh Rach," Lexi said, tears in her own eyes. She pulled the smaller girl into her arms and hugged her tightly. She could feel Rachel relax into the hug; she rubbed her back like her mother always did when she was upset. It seemed to help, and Rachel pulled back a few minutes later, her crying subsiding.

"You should talk to Aunt Shelby about this, Rach. She could help," Lexi said.

"Yeah…my mom, the famous Broadway _star_…like she knows about being picked on. Besides…I don't want her to know I'm a loser," Rachel scoffed, wiping the back of her hand across her nose.

"You aren't a loser," Lexi argued, reaching for Rachel when the girl started to turn. "Rach!"

Rachel ignored her cousin, staring off towards the next house over and the girl who was getting out of the passenger side door of a blue Jeep Cherokee. Quinn Fabray. Rachel felt her blood turn cold and she stood stock still like a deer caught in the headlights. _Move Rachel, before she sees you! MOVE!_ Rachel screamed in her head.

"Lexi, c'mon!" Rachel whispered urgently, grabbing the girl's hand and tugging at her to follow.

"What's wrong?" Lexi asked as Rachel pulled her back into the house quickly.

"We can't move in here!" Rachel yelled, stopping in front of her mother and aunt in the kitchen, startling both women with her forcefulness.

"Rach? What…why?" Shelby asked, completely taken aback by Rachel's actions.

"I hate this house! I don't want to live here! Mom, we can't live here!" Rachel continued to yell, stomping her foot and flailing her arms. She was turning red in the face.

Shelby was confused, but she was also getting upset at her daughter's behavior. She had spoken to her multiple times over the last four days about her yelling, and she _knew_ the girl knew better.

"Rachel, stop yelling at me, _right now_!" Shelby scolded, taking a step towards her daughter. Rachel continued on with her tantrum.

Shelby grabbed her daughter's right arm and pulled her close. "Rachel, you are too old to be acting this way! Now stop it!" Shelby said, popping her daughter hard on the bottom three times. Shelby knew Rachel felt the swats; Shelby's hand stung from them and Rachel was wearing a thin cotton sundress that did little to cushion the blows.

Shelby turned her daughter to face her, noting her watery eyes. It hurt Shelby to see her daughter upset, but the girl couldn't continue with her actions. It needed to stop. "Now, I want you to tell me calmly what is going on. Why can't we move into the house?" Shelby asked. She had no intention of not moving into this house, but she really did want to know what had gotten Rachel so worked up.

"Because I _hate_ it! It's a stupid house and I don't want to live here!" Rachel said angrily. She wasn't yelling exactly, but it was still too defiant for Shelby's liking.

"That's not telling me calmly, Rachel Barbra. I don't know what has gotten into you that's made you change your mind so drastically, but I have news for you, little girl. We _are_ buying this house and that's the end of it. Now stop this tantrum," Shelby said sternly, swatting Rachel's backside twice more. Rachel cried out, sending a painful jolt through Shelby.

Rachel's bottom stung from where her mom spanked her. She couldn't believe she had actually gotten _spanked_. Why couldn't her mom just listen? They couldn't move into this house, not if Quinn Fabray lived next door! Quinn was one of the main people at school that made Rachel's life a living hell. She couldn't go home and see here there too!

"MOM! You're being so _unfair_! Why won't you listen?" Rachel cried, stomping her foot in her frustration.

Shelby looked skyward, asking for strength and patience. "Because you are yelling, Rachel. You've been yelling all week. I'm _tired_ of all the yelling. It stops, right now young lady. Am I understood?" Shelby said sternly.

"Mom—"

"Rachel! Go wait for us in the living room. Now," Shelby said, sending her daughter off with another hard swat. "Lexi, will you give your aunt and I a moment?" Shelby asked, turning to the girl, who nodded and quickly left the room.

Lexi breathed a sigh of relief when she entered the living room. Rachel was standing near the hallway entrance and foyer, crying softly and rubbing her bottom. Lexi knew her cousin's bottom must be stinging something awful. She had cringed each time her aunt's hand came in contact with Rachel's backside; the sound was so loud, Lexi could almost feel the sting in her own bottom. She had actually been surprised that Aunt Shel had swatted Rachel—not that Rachel didn't deserve it—but Aunt Shel was always the cool, easy-going aunt. She had never swatted Lexi or any of the other cousins. Lexi supposed that because Aunt Shel was Rachel's mom, that's why she swatted. After all, if Lexi had spoken to _her_ mother that way, she'd have gotten those swats and then some. She'd probably have found herself over her mother's knees for a full spanking.

"I don't know what's gotten into her, Lu! First she loves the house, now she hates it? What the hell just happened?" Shelby huffed. She was frustrated and upset with her daughter. Everything had been fine, and then _BAM_, full-blown temper tantrum. It was giving Shelby whiplash.

"She's _testing_ you, Shel," Lauren said simply.

"I don't know, Laur. Something definitely upset her…but she's been yelling all week. I just couldn't stand it any longer," Shelby said, running her hand through her hair. "I didn't mean to swat her though."

"You're right, she has been. Even if she's upset, that doesn't excuse the yelling or the tantrum. She _deserved_ those swats, Shel. And it didn't hurt her much. Hopefully that will be enough to fix her attitude. She's lucky I didn't pull her over _my_ knee," Lauren said.

Shelby just looked at her big sister with watery eyes. The fight with Rachel just now had been physically and emotionally draining for Shelby. She absolutely hated making Rachel cry out from her swats. She knew that Lauren was right and Rachel deserved them, but it didn't make the heartache go away.

"It will be ok, baby girl," Lauren soothed, pulling Shelby in for a brief hug.

"Rach? What happened?" Lexi asked quietly, not sure if she was supposed to be talking to her cousin or not. She glanced behind her but didn't see either of her aunts coming into the room, so Lexi took a few steps closer to Rachel.

Rachel sniffed and turned slightly so she didn't have to look at Lexi. Her butt hurt and she was embarrassed that her mother spanked her in front of her aunt and cousin. Rachel wasn't at all sure how this spanking thing worked, but she figured it shouldn't be done in front of others. That just made it worse.

"Quinn…Mean…Don't want to move," Rachel mumbled between sniffles. Ugh, she really wished her butt didn't sting so much—it really hurt!

Lexi opened her mouth to respond, but Aunt Shel and Aunt LuLu joined them then. "Alright, let's go home," Shelby said, going over to join her daughter. She sighed and pulled Rachel in for a hug. Rachel melted into her mom's embrace, wanting to be comforted. Shelby kissed Rachel's head before letting go of Rach and holding her at arm's length, saying, "When we get home, you're going straight to bed. You need a time out."

The ride back to Nana and PopPop's only took about twenty minutes, but it was the longest car ride in Rachel's whole life. She couldn't help but squirm every few minutes because of her bottom. She couldn't believe how much it still stung even long after the swats were given. Rachel knew one thing though: she did _not_ like spankings one bit!

Aunt LuLu pulled into the driveway and turned off the car. Shelby got out of the passenger side and opened the back door behind her, helping Rachel out. She took a firm hold of her daughter's upper arm and marched her into the house, not pausing to say hello to her parents, and lead the girl up into the guest bedroom she had been staying in all week.

"Change into your pajamas and get into bed. You're going to take a nap for thirty minutes and then I'll be in and we can talk about earlier," Shelby said, letting go of her daughter and crossing her arms.

She waited for Rachel to change out of her yellow sundress and into a pair of blue shorts and a white tank top. Shelby walked over to the bed and pulled the blankets down, motioning for Rachel to crawl in. Rachel gave her mother a watery look, but Shelby held firm. "Get in bed, Rachel," she ordered.

Rachel wanted to cling to her mother and tell her how sorry she was, but her mom was staring at her sternly and pointing to the bed. Swiping a hand across her eyes quickly, Rachel got into bed and lay down.

Shelby pulled the covers over Rachel before handing the girl Henry. Rachel took the stuffed animal immediately and held him up to her nose, breathing in her mother's perfume. Shelby bit her lip and willed herself to be strong. She wanted to cry. This was just as hard, if not harder, on her than it was Rachel.

"I love you Rachel, but your actions this afternoon were unacceptable," she said, sitting on the edge of the bed. She reached out and smoothed the covers over her girl.

"Mommy, I—"

"Shh, Rach. I want you to lay here and don't move until I come in to get you in half an hour. You can either nap or think about your actions. But stay in bed. Am I clear?"

Rachel gazed at her mother tearfully and nodded her head sadly. "Yes, Mommy," she whispered.

"I do love you, Rach. So much," Shelby said, kissing her daughter's head. She walked to the door with tears streaming down her face.

As soon as her mother shut the door, Rachel rolled over on her stomach and began to cry into her pillow.

Shelby leaned up against the wall outside of the bedroom and listened as her daughter began to cry. She squeezed her eyes shut while more of her own tears made their way down her face. She hated this. She didn't want to do this at all, but she knew she needed to punish Rachel. A thirty-minute time out wasn't uncalled for. Rachel deserved a time out for her tantrum. It was better than giving her a spanking, which Shelby had promised earlier this week if Rachel had yelled at her anymore. She just couldn't bring herself to give her daughter a real spanking, not right now. It was the first time she was punishing Rachel. Shelby hadn't even really thought about giving Rachel the earlier swats, they had just happened. Now that a bit of time had passed, Shelby felt a little better about dishing them out, but it still hurt. No one ever told you how much it would hurt to have to punish your child.

Rachel was soaking her pillow with her tears, but she didn't care. She had messed everything up. She really had loved that house until finding out Quinn lived next door. She knew she should have probably explained that to her mother to begin with, instead of yelling, but Rachel really didn't want her mom to know how much of a loser she was. Maybe her fathers knew and that's why they got rid of her. Rachel didn't want to give Shelby any reason to leave her. But…wasn't yelling and having a fit going to push her away too? Yes, Rachel really had messed it up. Her cries turned into wails.

Shelby went into her room down the hall and tried to distract herself until it was time to go get Rachel. She tried reading, but she wound up reading the same sentence twenty times over. The tv was no better, she just stared at the screen. She then took up pacing back and forth. That seemed to help a bit—at least she was moving. She kept glancing at the clock. Five minutes had passed, then ten. She opened her door and could hear Rachel's cries from two rooms away.

The door opened and Rachel turned to see her mom coming into the room. Her crying got even louder, if that was even possible.

Shelby crawled into bed beside her baby and pulled her into her arms. Rachel immediately laid her head on Shelby's chest and wrapped an arm around her mother's waist.

"M-M-Mommy! I-I'm s-s-s-sorry!" Rachel wailed.

"Shh, shhh, it's alright baby girl," Shelby soothed, crying softly herself. "Mommy's here, it's ok."

"D-d-didn't mean i-i-it! I'm sorry I y-yelled!" Rachel cried, soaking her mother's shirt in tears and snot.

"I know, I know," said Shelby, rubbing her daughter's back. She trailed her hand down to her daughter's bottom and she felt Rachel stiffen. "Shhh," she cooed, gently patting her bottom, knowing it was a sure-fire way to calm the girl.

Sure enough, a few minutes later, Rachel's crying was slowing and the girl was beginning to take deep breaths.

"Mommy, i-it hurt," Rachel cried, sniffling and rubbing her nose on her mom's shirt.

Shelby stopped patting Rachel's bottom, thinking it was hurting. "Is your bottom still sore?" she asked, frightened that she had hit her daughter too hard earlier. She could feel her heart beginning to beat rapidly inside her chest.

"N-no. Earlier. It hurt," said Rachel, trying to get even closer to her mom than she already was.

Shelby let out a sigh of relief and couldn't help but laugh lightly. "I guess it did! It was meant to," she said, returning to placing light pats on Rachel's bottom.

"Mom, I…I'm sorry I made you s-spank me," Rachel said, lifting her head enough that she could look into her mom's eyes. A few tears made their way down Rachel's cheeks and she sniffed in an attempt to keep her nose from running. It wasn't really working.

This time Shelby really did laugh. "Oh sweetheart, that wasn't a spanking!" she said lightly.

"It…it wasn't?" Rachel asked, her brow furrowing. It had hurt like hell and that _wasn't_ a spanking?! What did her mom classify as a spanking then?

"No, they were just a few swats, as a warning," Shelby chuckled. "But believe me, little girl, yell at me one more time and I'll show you what a _real_ spanking feels like," she added, becoming stern. She watched as all the color drained from Rachel's face.

"I-I promise! No more yelling!" Rachel stammered, her heart thudding in her chest. If the swats her mom gave her earlier were only a _warning_, Rachel hated to think what an _actual_ spanking would feel like!

"I mean it, Rach. Yelling at me is _not_ the way to get your point across," Shelby said, and Rachel nodded quickly. "Now…let's talk about what got you so upset earlier."

"Mom, I…it was nothing," Rachel said, not looking in her mother's eyes. She just couldn't tell Shelby her real reason for yelling. "I said I was sorry…can't we…can't we leave it?"

"No, we can't leave it. I've forgiven you for yelling at me. That's over and done with; we don't need to mention it again. But I want to know what caused you to change your mind so drastically. I know you loved that house, Rach. So what made you say you hated it?" Shelby said, lifting Rachel's chin so the girl was forced to look at her. "You can tell me anything, baby. Talk to me."

"Mommy I…can I tell you later?" Rachel asked, biting her lip.

Shelby sighed. She really needed to know what was going on in her daughter's head, but she didn't want to force the issue. Rachel was starting to tear back up, and Shelby was finished with tears for the day. They had both cried enough. "Alright, you can tell me later," she relented.

"Thank you, Mommy," Rachel sighed, snuggling close to her mother again. She liked that they were back to cuddling. Rachel loved cuddling. She felt safe, and like she really belonged.

"Don't think I'll forget, Rach. We are going to talk about this," Shelby said in mock sternness. She was serious about talking, but for now, she was content just holding her baby close after a long week.

* * *

**So, what did you think? Good chapter? I hope so, I worked on this none stop for about a week and a half! Parts of it just weren't coming together. I'm thrilled with how it turned out though. **

**Soooo, next chapter we'll see how Shelby and Rachel handle New York. What do you think will happen? Think Rachel can stay out of trouble in the Big Apple, or will the allure of the city pull her into some kind of mischief? **

**P.S: I love reviews! ;) **


	4. New York

**Chapter Four: New York**

Shelby unlocked the door to her apartment with a long sigh of relief. It was going on ten at night and she and Rachel had just gotten home from the airport and the sea of paparazzi waiting for them. Now that they were in New York, Shelby knew they would be dogged like crazy. It had been easier when they were in Ohio, and things were quieter, but it was going to be harder now that they were back in the city.

Rachel went in before her mother and stood just inside the entranceway, completely overcome with everything from the past few hours. "Thanks for everything, guys," Shelby said as Tom and Josh came through the door, each towing a suitcase. "I don't know what I'd do without you both," she added, standing on her tiptoes to peck each of them on the cheek.

"It's what we're here for, Shel. You know we look after our girl," Tom said warmly, setting the suitcase he had down in the living room.

"Girls now," Josh added, smiling and winking at Rachel. Rachel liked Josh; he was in his early forties with close-cropped brown hair and hazel eyes. He was an all-around nice guy. "We'll see you both Sunday afternoon for your first day back to _Wicked_, Shel. Have a nice evening."

"Call if you need anything," Tom added, hugging Shelby and then Rachel. He had known Shelby for about ten years now, and adored her. He would do absolutely anything for that woman, and she knew it.

"Thanks boys," Shelby said, hugging them both once more before walking them to the door. She locked up once they left and turned to her daughter, who was still standing awkwardly in the entranceway. "C'mon Rach, let's get settled in. Are you hungry at all?" she said as she wrapped an arm around her girl and steered her towards the bedrooms.

Rachel tried to look around as her mom led her through the apartment. The place was _huge_! The living room was bright and open, with large windows along the one whole wall so that the city skyline could be seen in all its glory. A small dining table and chairs sat off to the side, and the kitchen was just around the corner. A small hallway led to a bathroom and two closed doors; Rachel suspected those were the bedrooms.

"I hope you don't mind, but you're going to have to sleep in my room with me. I use the spare bedroom as my office," Shelby said as she opened the door to the master bedroom and let Rachel go in ahead of her.

Rachel went over to the bed and ran her fingers over the comforter. It was so soft, Rachel just wanted to curl up on it. Shelby smiled at her daughter as she set a suitcase on the bed and unzipped it. She made quick work of pulling clothes out and tossing them in piles on the floor; she would throw in a tub of laundry either tonight or tomorrow. Her mother had offered to do their laundry before she and Rachel left, but Shelby turned it down. Her parents had been more than accommodating this last week and Shelby was more than capable of doing her and Rachel's laundry when they arrived home.

Rachel made her way around the bed and into the master bathroom, running her hand along everything as she went. It was a weird sensation for her to be in her mom's apartment. So far, she had really just looked at Shelby as her mother, nothing more. But now that she was here in New York, in this fancy New York apartment, it was easier to see her mother not as Shelby Corcoran, daughter of John and Diane Corcoran, but as Shelby Corcoran, the Broadway superstar.

The paparazzi that had been waiting for them in the airport and following them through the gates hadn't helped any. Rachel heard them shouting for her to turn and pose for the cameras. She heard them spewing questions at her and her mother. Some were nasty. They asked Rachel if she felt abandoned, if she felt loved, and whether or not she believed her mom loved her. They threw questions at Shelby as well: why did she think she could be a mother to a teenager after leaving her with two strangers so long ago, was she angry at having to now take care of a teenager when her career was far more important, and was she resentful towards Rachel. Shelby just held her head high and ignored it all, but all of those questions were getting to Rachel. Would her mom get tired of all the negative comments and publicity? Would she decide that Rachel was too much trouble after all?

"Rachel, come here sweetie!" Shelby called as she went to her dresser and pulled out one of her NYU t-shirts from the second drawer. Shelby knew it would be big on Rachel because it was big on her, but it would be fine for her to sleep in. She held it up to her daughter as the girl walked back into the bedroom. "Here baby, you can wear this tonight. It'll be big on you, but I need to wash all of your pjs you packed. Tomorrow we'll check with George to see if some of your stuff has arrived yet."

"Who's George? And what stuff?" Rachel asked as she took the t-shirt from her mother. She pulled the tank she was wearing over her head and threw it on the floor. Her bra and skirt quickly followed before putting her mom's shirt on. The hem fell almost to Rachel's knees while the sleeves passed her elbows.

Shelby smiled at the sight of her daughter in her shirt; she was swimming in it. It was adorable though and she quickly walked over to pull Rachel into a hug. "George is the doorman here; he's a great man, you'll love him! I asked Hiram and LeRoy to send a box of clothes and things here for you. It should have already arrived," Shelby said, kissing Rachel's head.

"What? Why didn't you tell me you talked to them?" Rachel asked, pulling away from her mother. She took a step back and crossed her arms.

"It wasn't a big deal, Rach. You needed some more clothes for here. I asked them to pack up some stuff. The rest of your things are being sent to Nana and PopPop's for when we move into our house. Though I thought it would be nice if we went shopping for a new bedroom set for you, so you can start fresh. Hiram said your bedroom was made up of a lot of hand-me-down furniture they had. It'd be nice to get your own stuff, don't you think?" Shelby said, reaching her hand out to Rachel, wanting to pull her close again. She saw the hurt on her daughter's face, and she wasn't quite sure why. Surely her getting some things sent here wouldn't upset Rachel?

"Why couldn't I talk to them?" Rachel asked, taking another step away from her mother. She hadn't really wanted to speak with her…with Hiram and LeRoy, but now that she knew her mom talked to them, she would have at least liked the chance to speak with them. Why was her mom keeping it a secret from her?

"We didn't talk long, Rach. I just needed to—"

"You're lying! Why didn't you tell me? Why are you hiding it from me?" Rachel yelled angrily.

"Rach! I'm not lying, and I wasn't hiding anything. Why are you so upset?" Shelby asked, taken aback. She wanted to know what was going on in her daughter's head. She hated that the girl was getting so upset over something so small.

"You don't want me to have anything to do with them, do you?" Rachel screamed.

"Rachel, lower your voice. We have neighbors," Shelby said calmly.

"I don't care who hears!" Rachel argued.

"Honey, we can talk about this, but you need to calm down first. I can't speak with you if you're yelling at me," Shelby replied, managing to pull her daughter into her arms again. She held her tightly as she fought against her.

"Why did they leave me?" Rachel sobbed, clinging to her mother like she was a lifeline.

"Oh baby," Shelby cooed, holding Rachel tighter. Her heart broke at hearing her child crying. How could she explain to her daughter why any of this happened? She wasn't even sure she knew the real answer; she was glad it happened, but knew it was confusing for Rachel.

"Why didn't they love me?" asked Rachel, her wails turning shrill.

Shelby placed her hands under Rachel's armpits and lifted her up. She was amazed at how tiny the girl was; if she tipped the scales at one hundred pounds, Shelby would be surprised. Rachel wrapped her legs around her mother's waist and allowed the woman to take her to the bed, not caring that she was being carried like a small child. Right now, all Rachel wanted was the comfort of the only person whose opinion ever mattered.

Rachel knew her mom loved her and was going to be there for her, but she was still so frightened of doing something to chase her away like she had her fathers. Maybe it would be a good idea to distance herself from her mom now while their relationship was still new; it would hurt less in the long run. Yes, Rachel would push her mom away…but for right now, she would let her comfort her.

Shelby sat down on the bed with Rachel still in her arms and rocked them gently. She tried to lie back against the pillows, but Rachel clung to her more urgently, so Shelby remained in their current position. She rubbed her daughter's back and continued to rock, singing _Baby Mine_ quietly. It was the first song Shelby had sung to her baby the night before the meeting with the lawyers, and she thought it appropriate to sing now.

Rachel began to calm down as Shelby continued to sing. Shelby finished the song and was glad that her baby's cries were settling down. "I love you so much Rachel, do you know that?" she asked, kissing Rachel's head.

"Y-you're gonna leave t-too," Rachel cried, burying her head into her mother's shoulder. She rubbed her nose along her mom's shirt and sniffed loudly.

"I'm never leaving, Rach. _Ever_. You'll always have me, baby," Shelby said firmly, feeling tears beginning to well in her eyes. How could she make Rachel believe that she wasn't going anywhere? She knew she'd have to show her through her actions, and that was fine with Shelby. She would do whatever was necessary to make Rachel feel safe and loved.

"They never said they l-loved me when they left. Why d-didn't they t-tell me, Mommy?" Rachel asked, her voice muffled slightly in her mom's neck.

Shelby felt a few tears fall down her cheeks. "I don't have all the answers, baby. I just know that I love you and always will. I've loved you your whole life, and I'm so happy I have you now. Everything will turn out ok, you'll see," Shelby said, her voice full of emotion. She wanted nothing more than to take all of Rachel's pain away. If she could bear it herself, she would. She would do anything for her little girl.

"Mommy," Rachel whined, wiping her nose on her mom's shirt again. She was hurting and all she wanted was her mom's comfort. She craved it. Rachel wasn't sure if she was going to be able to distance herself from her mom after all. Maybe if she acted up a lot, her mom would get fed up and leave her. And if she didn't….well, then Rachel would know for sure.

"Come on baby, let's get cleaned up. Then we can lay in bed or go watch something on tv for a bit," Shelby said, helping Rachel stand on shaky feet. Shelby stood and guided her child into the bathroom, flipping on the light. She lifted Rachel up onto the counter before turning around to grab a washcloth from the linen closet just inside the doorway.

Returning to the sink, Shelby waited until the water was warm before wetting the washcloth and turning to Rachel. Gently, she began wiping the tear tracks from her daughter's face. "Here, blow," Shelby said softly, handing her daughter a few tissues for her nose. Shelby threw the washcloth in the clothes hamper in the corner before pulling a fresh towel off of the rack above them.

"Feel better now?" Shelby asked after she dried her daughter's face. She tapped the girl's nose and gave her a warm smile.

Rachel looked up at her mom guiltily. This was all so confusing for her. One minute she thought acting out would be a good idea, the next she wanted to be on her best behavior so her mom would continue to love her. She wished she could figure out what she wanted to do!

"I'm sorry I yelled at you…again," Rachel sighed, looking down at her hands. She picked at a bit of skin on her thumb.

Shelby placed her own hands over her daughter's, squeezing gently. "Hey," she said, lowering her head a bit to be more at Rachel's eye level. She waited until the girl looked at her. "It's ok. Things are a bit confusing for us right now. We'll figure it out."

"Are you mad?" Rachel asked timidly, lowering her gaze once more.

"No baby, I'm not mad," Shelby replied, lifting Rachel from the counter and pulling her into her arms. "I understand."

"I love you, Mom," Rachel said quietly, turning her head to nestle into her mother's neck.

"I love you too, baby. Always," Shelby said, kissing her daughter's head. She felt the girl begin to pull away from her, but she held her close. "Rach?"

"Yeah?" Rachel asked, looking up at her mom.

"Just because I understood tonight doesn't give you a free reign to yell at me going forward. This is your last freebie, kiddo. Got it?" Shelby said.

"Got it," Rachel replied, nodding her head.

"Good girl. Now why don't you go into the living room and pick out a movie for us to watch before bed?" Shelby said, sending Rachel off with two not-so-gentle pats to her bottom.

Shelby smirked as she watched her daughter leave, rubbing her backside. She hadn't hit the girl hard, just enough to leave a little sting. Her baby was definitely a little drama queen, but Shelby loved that about her. She loved everything about her little girl and wouldn't change her for the world.

"Rachel?" Shelby asked, coming around the corner a few minutes later. "What are you doing?" Her daughter was staring transfixed at her bookcase by the tv, her right arm reaching out towards something on the shelf.

Rachel jumped and moved her hand away from the award. "Mom, I-I…I didn't touch it, I swear," Rachel stammered quickly. She reached her right hand to her left shirtsleeve and grasped it tightly, biting her lip as she did so. She glanced at her mom guiltily, waiting to be scolded.

"What?" Shelby asked, moving over to stand next to her daughter. Then it clicked. Rachel had been looking at her Tony Award and Shelby had caught her reaching for the case it was held in. Shelby looked down at her daughter's guilty little face and she melted. "Oh."

"Mom, I promise I didn't—I wasn't gonna take it out of the case or anything!" Rachel continued, shuffling her feet nervously.

Without a word, Shelby reached up and took her award out of its case. She then grabbed her daughter's hand and led her over to her large sectional sofa. When Rachel was seated next to her, she passed the Tony to her daughter and watched as the astonished look passed over her face. The girl was completely in awe.

"Mom…this…I…thank you," Rachel said, unable to form a full sentence. She was in too much shock. Here she sat on Shelby Corcoran's sofa in Shelby Corcoran's apartment holding _Shelby Corcoran's Tony Award_. It was an intense feeling, to say the least.

"It's no big deal, Rach," Shelby said, shaking her head at her daughter's reaction. Though admittedly, Shelby once thought it was a big deal as well. That was before she was reunited with her baby, when she put everything she had into her career to numb the pain of having given up her child.

"No…no big deal?!" Rachel asked incredulously, looking at her mother like she had two heads. Winning a Tony Award was a _very big deal_! It was what all Broadway stars aspired to win! And here her mom was telling her it was no big deal. What was _wrong_ with her?

"It's just a trophy, Rach," Shelby shrugged, gently taking the award back and returning it to its case.

"Just a…_Mom_, it's a _Tony_! How can you say that?" Rachel said, her mouth hanging open in shock. She couldn't believe what she was hearing.

Shelby rolled her eyes at her little drama queen and returned to her seat next to her daughter. "There are more important things than a Tony, Rachel," she said.

"What could possibly be more important than a Tony?" Rachel retorted. It was official: her mom was crazy. Certifiable.

Shelby smiled warmly at her child and reached out to tap Rachel's nose. "You," she said, her voice cracking the tiniest bit.

Rachel furrowed her brows and looked at her mother skeptically. "But—"

"Rach, you are the most important thing that has ever happened to me. Nothing means more to me than you," Shelby said, kissing Rachel's cheek.

"But—"

"_Nothing_," Shelby said more forcibly. Rachel gave her mom a crooked smile and quickly looked away, trying her best to blink away the tears that were forming.

"Now, are we going to watch a movie or what?" Shelby asked, playfully pushing Rachel so that she fell to the side. She used this opportunity to tickle the girl until she was laughing hysterically.

"M-M-Mommy! Noooo! S-stop!" Rachel yelled, out of breath. She was curled up into a tiny ball, but her mom was still finding all of her ticklish spots.

Shelby was laughing as well and having a great time. She supposed she should let up soon so Rachel could breathe. "Alright Rach, I'll stop," she said, patting Rachel's bottom quickly. Rachel uncurled herself from her fetal position and crawled onto her mom's lap, wrapping her arms around her neck and holding on tightly.

Shelby obliged and held her daughter until the girl's breathing returned to normal and she calmed down. "Did you pick out a movie, sweetie?" she breathed into her daughter's hair, smoothing down a few fly away strands.

"Can we watch _Funny Girl_?" Rachel asked, giving her mom puppy-dog eyes. "I already put it in the DVD player."

"Yes, we can watch _Funny Girl_," Shelby replied, laughing. It was her favorite musical, and she had a feeling it was Rachel's as well. "Come with me to get some snacks."

Rachel followed her mother into the kitchen and watched as Shelby began rifling through the cabinets.

"How does popcorn sound?" Shelby asked, holding up a bag of popping corn in her hand.

"Perfect," Rachel said, smiling.

Shelby nodded and ripped the plastic off of the bag before placing it in the microwave to pop. She then went to the cabinet by the fridge and pulled out two glasses. One was a normal drinking glass, but she pulled out a large wine glass with gold stars painted on it for Rachel.

Turning to the refrigerator, Shelby poked around inside to see what she had that Rachel may like. "Apple juice okay with you, kiddo?" she asked.

"Uh huh," Rachel agreed, watching her mom take the jug from the fridge and kick the door shut with her foot. Rachel took the star glass from her mother with a large smile. She loved stars, especially gold ones. She always had. She wasn't sure where her mom had gotten this glass, but Rachel knew that she never wanted to drink out of any other glass again.

"Stars are kind of my thing," Shelby said when she noticed Rachel's fixation on the glass.

"Mine too," Rachel said, staring up at her mom with bright eyes.

"Must get that from me, baby," Shelby said, smiling. "Why don't you take our drinks into the living room and get comfy? I'll be in as soon as the popcorn is done."

Rachel returned to the living room and placed the drinks on the glass coffee table before curling up on the sofa. She ran her hand over the soft charcoal gray suede, making patterns in the fabric. The sofa was huge and could easily seat eight or more people comfortably. Rachel especially liked that the far left end of the sectional was more of a lounge chair that allowed her to stretch out on it. Her feet didn't even come close to touching the edge.

Rachel took this moment to really look around the room and admire her mother's decorating style. The whole place was very chic. The floors were beautifully polished lightwood while a large, plush, steely gray area rug separated the living room from the dining area. Silky, plum-colored throw pillows were paired with ones covered in a white and black floral pattern, all placed strategically on the sofa. A soft plum blanket with long tasseled ends was folded at the bottom of the lounge section, draping over the corner edge near the armrest. The furniture—from the tv stand, bookshelf, to the dining table—were a rich mahogany that complimented the gray and plum tones nicely.

"Let's get started!" Shelby said happily, coming into the living room holding a large bowl of fresh popcorn. She handed the bowl to her daughter so she could grab the remotes for the tv and DVD player. "Move over," she added when she returned to the sofa. She smiled as Rachel huffed and scooted over so Shelby could have the spot by the armrest.

Shelby grabbed the blanket at their feet and threw it over her and Rachel's legs, getting snuggly before sitting the bowl of popcorn on her lap and wrapping her right arm around Rachel's shoulders and pulling the girl close. She turned on the tv and was just about to hit play when she felt Rachel look up at her.

"Mommy?" Rachel asked, snuggling closer to Shelby.

"Hmm?"

"Am I really more important than your Tony Award?" she asked.

"Baby, you're more important than a million Tony Awards," Shelby responded, placing a kiss on Rachel's head before pressing play.

**Open Arms * Open Arms * Open Arms**

Shelby relaxed against her padded headboard, sipping her coffee and watching contently as her baby slept beside her. She had stayed up long after she tucked Rachel in for the night, thinking of ways she could show her daughter just how much the girl meant to her. She wanted to quell Rachel's fears that Shelby was going to leave her. But how?

The answer came as Shelby was finally slipping off to sleep early this morning. She had a whole box filled with cards and letters that she had gathered for Rachel over the years. She was going to give the box to her daughter once she turned eighteen and Shelby would legally be able to contact her, but now that she had Rachel, there was no reason she had to wait any longer. And it would prove to Rach that Shelby had always wanted her baby.

Rachel began to stir, so Shelby quickly placed her coffee on her nightstand so she could snuggle closer to the girl as she woke.

Rachel felt her mom wrap her arms around her waist and pull her closer. She yawned and opened her right eye to stare at her mom. "What time is it?" she asked.

"Almost eleven," Shelby replied, leaning forward to kiss Rachel's forehead.

Rachel groaned, which just made Shelby laugh. Oh her little drama queen. "Why'd you let me sleep so late?" complained Rachel.

"Rach, you didn't go to bed until well after two in the morning. There was no way I was waking you. Besides, do you have any pressing plans today?" Shelby countered.

"No, but—"

"Why is it so important to wake up early, baby?" Shelby asked. She really had no idea why Rachel always fought her so hard about getting up early. She was still trying to break the girl of it. That was one of the major reasons Shelby let her stay up so late at night, to hopefully get her to sleep until a reasonable hour.

Rachel huffed and tried to roll away from her mom, but Shelby was having none of that. "You can't get away from talking to me forever, young lady. What's going on in that pretty little head of yours?" Shelby said, preventing Rachel from rolling over with a hand to her shoulder.

"Mom," Rachel whined, "Can't I just tell you later?"

"No. Later never seems to come, Rach. You've still be avoiding telling me why you threw a tantrum at the new house the other day. Come on, let's get up and talk," Shelby said, throwing the covers off her little girl.

Rachel groaned and rolled all the way onto her stomach, wanting to ignore her mother. Shelby just wasn't letting her. "Mommy," she pouted.

"Now Rach," Shelby said firmly, landing a few light but firm pats on Rachel's bottom. When Rachel still didn't move, she gave her a real swat. _That_ got the girl moving, although begrudgingly. "Go to the bathroom and then meet me in the kitchen. I'll make us some French toast and we can talk," Shelby said, grabbing her coffee cup and standing. She raised an eyebrow and fixed Rachel with a stern gaze when she didn't move.

Grumbling to herself, Rachel shuffled off to the bathroom, rubbing the stinging spot on her backside. She glared at her mom over her shoulder before shutting the door. Her mom could be really annoying sometimes. Why did she want to make Rachel talk about things she wanted to leave alone?

Shelby left the bedroom, shaking her head and mumbling to herself. Her little girl was turning into quite a handful. On her way to the kitchen, Shelby stepped into the room she used as an office. It was a large room with a black leather sofa along the wall closest to the door. A desk sat in the left corner of the room with Shelby's laptop sitting on top; a bookcase full of books and trinkets sat directly next to it. Taking up the majority of the rest of the space was a sleek, black, baby grand piano. On top of it sat an ornately carved wooden box that held every single letter and card Shelby had ever written to her child. Shelby ran her hand lovingly over the carved flower design and the cursive R resting in the very center of the design.

Rachel decided to take a shower before breakfast and the talk with her mother. She had a feeling it was going to be long and drawn out, so she wanted to at least go out there feeling fresh. When she exited her mother's bedroom twenty minutes later, she could smell the sweet scent of syrup and cinnamon wafting from the kitchen. Her mother was singing softly to herself and smiled when Rachel came to sit on one of the barstools at the island.

"Perfect timing. Breakfast is ready," Shelby said, placing two pieces of French toast on the two waiting plates. She turned and got out silverware for her and Rach while making the girl pull out the margarine and juice from the fridge.

As soon as they got their plates, mother and daughter moved to the dining room table to eat their breakfast. Shelby noticed Rachel was still a bit grumpy, but she figured that would wear off in a little bit. She would be having that chat with her daughter regardless, but for now she was happy sitting in silence with her girl.

Rachel immediately began to rise the minute she was done eating, but Shelby stopped her. "Where do you think you are going?" she asked.

Rachel blushed. She forgot that it was one of her mom's rules to ask to be excused before leaving the table. She never had to do that with her fathers. Sighing, she sat back in her seat and gave her mom sad puppy eyes. "May I be excused, Mom?" she asked.

"Only to the sofa. You and I are going to have that talk, little girl," Shelby said, taking her last bite of toast.

"Mom!" Rachel whined, her face falling. She didn't want to do this!

"Rachel, am I really that horrible to talk to?" Shelby asked, staring at her daughter sadly. She knew her child was hurting, but if she just _talked_ to Shelby and told her what the problem was, Shelby could work on fixing it and making things easier.

Rachel felt a pang of guilt flow through her at her mother's question. She wasn't horrible to talk to at all. Rachel liked talking to her…just not about things she didn't want to talk about. Why couldn't her mom understand? She shook her head and glanced down at her feet.

"No, I—my dads never made me talk to them," Rachel mumbled, still staring at the floor.

"Oh Rach," Shelby sighed, getting up and making her way over to her daughter. "I'm not your fathers. You and me? We're gonna talk—a lot…like, _all the time_. And sometimes, we're going to have to talk about things that are hard, but I am always here for you. It's my job to help you and guide you. Let me do that, baby," she continued, pulling her child close to her and holding her tightly.

"What if…what if you don't like what I have to say?" Rachel asked in barely more than a whisper. Shelby had to listen hard to hear her.

"Rach, you could tell me absolutely anything in the world and it will never change my opinion of you. I love you, little one," Shelby replied, running a hand through Rachel's damp hair.

"I'm scared."

Shelby pulled back and cupped Rachel's face in her hands gently, rubbing her thumbs carefully under Rach's eyes to wipe away the tears forming. "That's what I'm here for, baby. You can talk to me about anything, and I'll always do my best to make the problem go away. Sometimes I won't be able to, but even if I can't, you always have me to protect you, and hold you. You don't have to do anything alone. Now I know that it's going to take time before this all comes naturally to you, but we're going to work on that, okay? Starting today," she said, tilting Rachel's head so that she could place a kiss to her forehead.

Shelby took her daughter's hand and took her over to the sofa. "Rach, I need to get the dishes in the dishwasher, but I want you to start looking at something before we have our talk. I think it may help you," she said, pushing Rachel gently down onto the sofa. She then turned to the coffee table and picked up the wooden box. Taking a deep breath, she placed the box on her daughter's lap.

"What is this?" Rachel asked, running her fingers over the top of the box. The letter R was carved into the middle with flowers flowing out and around it.

"That Rach, is everything I've ever written to you, from the moment you were born. It's all of the letters I've written, all the notes, birthday cards, holiday cards…it's everything. You're my everything," Shelby said, her voice cracking. She sniffled and quickly wiped her tears away.

"Mom—"

"Take a few minutes and look through it, Rach. I'll be right back," Shelby said, sniffling even more. "I've always loved you, Rachel. I always will. I'm your mother…and you're my baby. That bond…it never breaks."

* * *

**Hope you all enjoyed the chapter. I didn't add everything I wanted into it, BUT that's because Shelby and Rachel have taken on a life of their own and they keep making me add more chapters. But that's a good thing, isn't it? **

**Let me know what you thought! Anything you don't like or are there things you want to see more of? Any favorite parts in this chapter? **


	5. Wicked

**Chapter Five: Wicked**

Rachel watched her mom collect the breakfast dishes and disappear into the kitchen before turning back to the box in her lap. Her mom really wrote her letters and got her cards for all the years she missed? Rachel knew she shouldn't be surprised because ever since her first phone call with her mom, she could tell how much the woman loved her. It was just hard for Rachel to fully comprehend. She was so confused. She was hurting. Everything she had thought for the last fourteen years had come crumbling down around her all at once a little over a month ago. Now nothing made any sense, and Rachel wasn't sure what to believe. She didn't want to take anything at face value anymore.

Taking a deep breath, Rachel undid the small bronze latch and opened the box. It was filled with different colored papers of all shapes and sizes. Cards, letters, notes…Rachel even saw a few doodles. With trembling fingers, Rachel reached inside the box and pulled out an envelope at random. She carefully slipped her finger under the flap—it was only tucked inside and not sealed—and gently took the card from inside. It had a picture of a puppy on the front wearing a party hat and sitting in front of a birthday cake with a large number five on it. Inside was the traditional "Happy Birthday" sentiment, but what interested Rachel most was her mother's graceful cursive writing, so much like Rachel's own.

_Dear Baby Girl,_

_You're five today. I can't believe it! You are no longer a baby, but are turning into your own little person, a person I want to meet so badly. I think about you every day, but your birthday is always a special day, filled with so much joy…and so much sorrow. I wonder what you are like at this age. What is your favorite nursery rhyme, your favorite lullaby? I dream of rocking and singing you to sleep each night. I love you, my beautiful little girl. One day I will explain everything to you. Until then, I wish you the best and pray for your happiness. Happy Birthday my sweet girl. _

_Love always,  
__Mommy_

Rachel felt tears falling down her cheeks, but she grabbed a letter and quickly opened it. Her tears fell quicker now.

_December 18, 1994_

_My Sweet Rachel,_

_You aren't even two hours old yet and my heart is bursting for love for you. I didn't get to hold you, but when the nurses took you to clean you up, you looked over at me. Our eyes met and you stopped crying. An electric current shot through me. It was the most intense thing I've ever experienced. My little girl, I love you so much. I wish I could keep you with me forever, but I know your daddies will love you just as much and more than I do. They will give you a happy life and when you turn eighteen, I'll find you. That I promise. _

_I love you,  
__Mommy_

Shelby really had gotten a card for every one of Rachel's birthdays, for every major holiday, and even some just because. Rachel couldn't read through any more cards or letters right now, she was just looking at them as a whole. This box…it contained all of Shelby's love for her in writing. Shelby loved her. She had a box full of cards to prove it. Her tears turned into sobs.

Shelby rushed out of the kitchen when she heard Rachel sobbing. She knew seeing that box was going to be emotional for the girl, but she wasn't expecting the heart-wrenching sobs full of despair.

"Shh, shh baby girl, Mommy's here," Shelby cooed, sitting down next to Rachel. In one smooth move, she had the box on the coffee table and her daughter tucked securely in her arms. "The box was supposed to show you how much I love you, baby. I didn't mean to upset you."

"I-i-it's not y-you!" Rachel sobbed. "It's t-them! You always w-wanted me! Why d-didn't they find you s-s-sooner? T-they knew for a l-long time that I wasn't what they w-wanted."

"That's all over, Rach. You're with me now. That's all that matters," Shelby soothed.

"Y-you really won't l-leave me?" Rachel cried. She was sitting on her mother's lap, tucked up against her chest. She felt safe in her mom's arms, but she was still so frightened of being abandoned again. True, her father's never left her to fend for herself or treated her badly or anything like that, but they never provided the love and support she needed. And wanted. But Shelby…Shelby was doing all of that and _more_.

"I could _never_ leave you, baby. You're stuck with me whether you like it or not," Shelby replied.

Shelby sat with her child and waited out the tears. It broke her heart every time Rachel cried. She'd been crying a lot—almost every day since she got her. But Rachel had also been through a rollercoaster of emotions the past month. She was confused and Shelby understood that crying was the only way for Rachel to let all of the excess emotions out. Well, that and yelling. Rachel yelled when she was upset about something; it was easier to lash out and act up than it was for her daughter to just tell her what was wrong. Shelby was hoping that sitting Rach down and slowly getting her to talk to her would help with some of the pent up emotions coursing through her small body.

When Rachel's crying had stopped save for the occasional sniffle, Shelby shifted the girl on her lap slightly so she could look at her better. She ran a hand over the girl's cheeks, brushing away the lingering tears and stray hairs that had fallen in her face. "Rach, let's talk some now," she said gently.

Rachel shook her head slightly, taking hold of her mom's right hand and playing with her fingers. She didn't know where to even begin. She knew she'd have to talk no matter what, but she just wanted to postpone that moment for as long as she could.

"Rach—"

"I…I don't know how, Mom. I don't know where to start," Rachel said softly, looking up into her mother's hazel eyes for a split second before returning her attention back to her mom's hand. She couldn't help but notice the deep concern in her mom's eyes, even in the brief glance she gave her. Rachel knew she was just trying to help. It was hard though.

"Can I ask you some questions and we go from there?" Shelby asked just as softly. Rachel nodded ever so slightly, which Shelby took as a good sign. At least she was willing to try. "Why do you want to wake up so early every morning, even when you don't have to? You get so upset, baby. I don't understand."

Rachel sighed and turned her mother's hand over so it was facing palm up. She spent a minute or two running her fingers lightly over it, tracing her lines. "My fath—Hiram and LeRoy always got up early and if I got up when they were eating breakfast, we'd all sit together and…Well, it was one of the only times they'd try to talk to me about things I liked. Nighttime and weekends they would talk more about their jobs and things going on in their lives. They…they'd talk to me about that stuff, but…I liked when they'd try to get on my level," Rachel said.

Shelby listened patiently while Rachel explained, taking multiple pauses to take deep breaths. Hiram had told Shelby during one of their conversation that he and LeRoy didn't know how to talk to Rachel. She hadn't realized the extent of it until now. Her heart hurt for her baby girl who felt she needed to get up early just so she could get a little bit of the attention she wanted from her parents.

"You know that you don't have to get up early for us to talk though, right? We can talk anytime you'd like, day or night. Hell, you can wake me up in the middle of the night just to talk, sweetie, if that's what you want," Shelby said, squeezing Rachel's hand.

"I know…it's hard to remember sometimes, you know? I'm so used to getting up early. And…I keep thinking I'm going to wake up one morning and it's all going to have been a dream. I…I don't want to wake up if it is," Rachel said, fresh tears pooling in her eyes.

"Oh baby," Shelby soothed, once again wrapping her arms tightly around her little girl, "I promise this isn't a dream. I'm not going anywhere."

"I never thought that something like this would happen," Rachel replied, resting her head against her mother's shoulder. "What if you get tired of me too? My da—they did."

Shelby sighed. How could she relieve Rachel's fears about this? She had a feeling she would just have to continue to be reassuring and keep telling Rachel over and over again how much she loves her and that she isn't going anywhere, until Rachel truly believes it. She wished she could find an easier way, for Rachel's sake, but Shelby would reassure her child every day for the rest of her life if she had to.

"That could never happen, little girl," she said. "I know it's going to take some time before you truly believe this, but I'm in this for the long haul, Rach. I'm here for everything—the good, the bad, and all the moments in between."

"You promise?" Rachel asked, sounding so much younger than her fourteen years.

"I promise. I'll tell you every minute of every day if that's what it takes, baby," Shelby replied, planting kiss after kiss to her daughter's head.

"You'll get tired of that. I'll annoy you and make you leave and then—"

"Hey, none of that. I will _not_ get tired of reassuring you. If it helps you, that's exactly what I'll do. And you could never make me want to leave you," Shelby said firmly.

"I've been bad," Rachel continued as if she hadn't heard Shelby. The girl wasn't really thinking about what she was saying, all of her fears and insecurities were simply spilling out of her.

"You haven't been bad, Rach. Why would you say that?" Shelby asked. She was glad Rachel was talking to her and sharing her fears. Her heart broke to hear the sadness and vulnerability underneath the girl's words. She was still very much a little girl, wanting nothing more than the love of a parent.

"I keep yelling at you. You swatted me Thursday and gave me a time-out. I yelled at you all last week…and again last night. And I wasn't very nice this morning either," Rachel said softly. She still had her head resting on her mom's shoulder, but she turned in more so she wouldn't have to look into her mom's eyes.

Shelby laughed softly and reached up to cradle Rachel's head against her like you would a baby. "Oh Rachel," she sighed, running her fingers gently through the girl's hair. "I don't exactly _like_ the yelling, but I understand that things have been hard for you. You're adjusting and all the crying and yelling is your way of dealing with your feelings right now. Yes, I swatted you on Thursday—I'm afraid you deserved those swats, kiddo. You were screaming and you wouldn't listen, but that doesn't make you bad. Far from it."

"What if I get into more trouble? Will you…will you leave me?" Rachel asked even softer than before.

Shelby maneuvered Rachel so that she could look at the girl when she answered her. Rachel refused to meet her mom's eyes, so Shelby placed a hand on either side of the girl's face and forced her head up gently. "I need you to look at me for this part, Rach," she said, waiting until the girl met her gaze. Hazel eyes met brown, and Shelby took a deep breath.

"I will _never_ leave you. I don't care what you do, nothing can chase me away. When you get into trouble, you'll be punished, but we'll get through it. There really is nothing to worry about, Rach," Shelby said.

"But—"

"Rachel, you can be a royal pain in my ass and I _still_ won't leave…Granted, I may spank yours," Shelby said, winking at her daughter before giving her a kiss to her forehead. She let her hands fall from Rachel's face and let the girl snuggle back into her.

Rachel blushed slightly at her mom telling her she'd spank her butt, but she couldn't help but smile at her mom's light tone. _She wrote all those letters and cards and has kept them in a box for you. She's saved them, for you. Shows how much she wants you_, Rachel reminded herself.

"Speaking of Thursday," Shelby began, laughing when Rachel groaned. "I haven't forgotten, little girl. I know you wanted me to. Talk to me."

"Mommy," Rachel whined, giving her mom a pouty face. She really wanted to avoid this particular conversation.

"Rach, I really need to know what made you so upset. I can help, baby," Shelby pleaded. She saw how much Rachel wanted to avoid it, but she was just trying to help.

"Mom, please, I…I can't tell you. I don't want you to…" Rachel trailed off, pulling her mother's hand onto her lap and playing with it again.

"Don't want me to what, baby?" Shelby pressed.

"I…I don't want you to find out how much of a…a loser I am," Rachel said so quietly Shelby almost didn't hear.

"You are most definitely not a loser, little girl, and I would _never_ think that. Clearly something happened that made you upset though. You can tell me anything, Rach," Shelby said.

"Please don't make me tell you right now. I…I promise I'll tell you when I'm ready," Rachel pleaded, her eyes tearing up yet again. She hated crying all the time, but she never seemed to be able to stop it—not real tears, at any rate. She could, after all, cry on command when she needed. All good actresses needed to be able to.

"Rach—"

"Please Mommy," Rachel said, a few tears making their way down her cheeks.

"Ok baby. You can tell me when you're ready. But you promise to tell me when you are?" Shelby said, wrapping her arms more securely around her daughter and rocking them back and forth gently.

"Promise," mumbled Rachel.

Shelby nodded and kissed Rachel's head. She began to hum softly while the girl calmed down. Shelby had gotten enough out of the girl for one day. "Thank you for telling me those things, Rach. I'm very proud of you, baby girl," she said, wanting to encourage her child to open up to her more often.

Rachel was content sitting in her mother's lap, being held and rocked gently. Her mom placed kisses to her head every few minutes. Rachel loved how easy it was to seek comfort from her mom—Shelby gave it willingly, and without pause. Rachel couldn't remember the last time her dads had held her. "Mom?"

"Yes baby?"

"When my…my dads figured I was upset, do you know what they would do?" Rachel said, running her fingers along her mom's arm softly. She liked the feel of her mom's skin. It was soft and smooth and smelled good. Rachel was starting to connect home and safety to her mother's vanilla and coconut scent.

"No sweetie, what would they do?" Shelby asked, resting her head on top of Rachel's for a moment. She smelled like Shelby's favorite coconut-scented shampoo.

"They'd bring me a glass of water. Every time I was sad, one of them would knock on my door and hand me the glass…" Rachel trailed off, resting her hand on her mother's arm.

Shelby wasn't sure what to say to Rachel's words. Did she want a glass of water? Did she just want to share that story with her? Before Shelby could formulate a way to respond, Rachel spoke up again.

"Do you think…that was their way of making me feel better?"

Shelby took a pause to organize her thoughts. "I truly think it was, baby. I know your dads love you."

"They hardly ever told me. They didn't even tell me the last time I saw them…at the lawyer's office," Rachel whispered.

"I'm sorry they didn't tell you, Rach. I don't think your dads are good at voicing their feelings…they try to express it through their actions," Shelby said.

"But that doesn't make any sense, Mom…they gave me away," Rachel said, turning so she could look her mother in the eyes.

"They gave you to me…to make you happy. Are you happy with me, baby?" Shelby asked. She wasn't sure if she really should ask that question, but she couldn't help it. She wanted Rach to be happy with her.

"I'm the happiest I've ever been!" Rachel said forcefully, staring into her mother's eyes intently. "Well…I mean...it's confusing. I _am_ happy that I'm with you, Mom! I've wondered about who my mother was my whole life! I…I imagined what it'd be like to meet you. It just all came as a shock…I mean, first my dads tell me I'm going to go live with my mother from now on, and then I find out my mother is Shelby Corcoran—_you_! And you tell me you love me the first time we spoke and then I'm meeting you for the first time with a bunch of reporters all around. I meet cousins I never knew I had and grandparents and all of them keep telling me they love me…But there's just one thing I don't get…" Rachel spouted very quickly, trailing off at the end.

Shelby followed as best she could, but Rachel was speaking very quickly now and it was hard to keep up. "What don't you get, sweetie?" she asked, reaching up to brush Rachel's hair behind her ear. Rachel's face was scrunched up in thought and she hadn't noticed when her hair fell in her face.

Brown eyes met hazel once again and Rachel took a deep breath. "You and Nana and PopPop and Aunt LuLu and Uncle Jack and _everyone_ have said they love me and we all just met. But the two people I grew up with…I _grew up_ with them, Mommy! They spent all that time looking for someone to carry a child for them and then made you sign that _stupid_ contract. They raised me and cared for me and then all of a sudden, they tell me they aren't what I need. They hardly ever said they loved me and couldn't even say it the last time I'll probably ever see them and…Well, I don't think they ever really _did_ love me after all," Rachel finished, leaning against her mother. She was confused and her thoughts were all over the place. It was exhausting and more than a little frustrating.

"Oh Rachel—"

"Was it something I did? Why couldn't they love me?" Rachel asked. She was surprised she wasn't crying, but the tears just wouldn't come. Rachel felt numb, actually. But she was glad she was talking about this with her mom. She thought it would be harder, but it wasn't. It was all just pouring out of her now, without a filter. It was…_freeing_.

"No baby, it wasn't anything you did. You are _perfect_," Shelby said softly, beginning to rock back and forth again.

"But—"

"Rachel, you may be too young to truly understand this, but your dads _do_ love you, sweetie. They love you so much, and them giving you to me is testament to that. They realized that they weren't providing you with the attention you needed," Shelby explained, quieting Rachel when the girl tried to interrupt. "Yes, they took care of all of your basic needs, but they weren't able to provide for you emotionally or connect with you. Rach…they realized they didn't take enough interest in your life. They didn't know how to, sweetie. So they did what was best for you, and contacted me. They want you to be happy."

"It still doesn't make much sense," Rachel whined, rubbing at her right eye with the back of her fingers. This was ridiculous! It was barely twelve-thirty, Rachel hadn't been up for more than two hours _and_ she had slept late, and she was already getting tired again.

Shelby smiled sadly at her child, who looked much more like a tired, cranky toddler than teenager at this very moment. She was glad she had this talk with Rachel, but it was clearly draining on the girl, both emotionally and physically. Shelby was just thinking she should try to convince Rachel to take a nap when the girl yawned and tried to move even closer to Shelby.

"Things will get better in time, sweetheart, I promise. Why don't you try to lay down for a bit and rest?" Shelby said, kissing Rachel's head.

"No Mommy, I'm not tired," Rachel whined as she yawned again.

"Ok, well how about we watch a movie and just lay around? Does that sound good?" Shelby asked, trying a different approach. She smiled when Rachel nodded. "Pick out a movie while I go throw some laundry in. I forgot to do that earlier, and you need some clean clothes for tomorrow."

Rachel got up to investigate her mother's movie collection again while Shelby went to collect the dirty laundry from the floor in her bedroom. She quickly threw the clothes into a small clothesbasket and took it into the bathroom in the hall that also happened to house her washer and dryer.

Shelby returned a few minutes later with a pillow from her bed and Henry. She laughed as Rachel eyed her suspiciously. "I just thought you'd like to be comfy," Shelby said innocently, placing the things on the sofa. "What did you decide on?"

"I'm not taking a nap," Rachel said firmly, getting up from the floor where she had been looking through the movies in the cabinet of the tv stand. "_My Best Friend's Wedding_. I like the part where they sing in the restaurant."

"That's one of my favorite parts too," Shelby said, smiling. "I'm going to get us something to drink. Are you hungry at all?" Rachel shook her head no, so Shelby went off to get her and Rach some water while telling the girl to put the movie in the player. She came back a few minutes later to Rachel sitting expectantly on the sofa. She noticed she had picked up Henry and was holding him close.

Shelby placed her and Rachel's drinks on the tray she had gotten out of the closet the night before. It was easier to put the drinks on that and place it close to the lounge than it was to have to move around to get to the coffee table. She got settled in her normal spot near the armrest and placed the pillow on her lap, motioning for Rachel to lie down. Rachel eyed her mom suspiciously, but after a moment's deliberation, stretched out on the sofa. Shelby grabbed her plum-colored blanket and shook it out so it fell over her daughter. She then grabbed the remotes and pressed play, her fingers finding their way to Rachel's head to rub soothing circles while the opening sequence started. Shelby couldn't help but tap her foot as the song _Wishing and Hoping_ began.

**Open Arms * Open Arms * Open Arms**

By two o'clock that afternoon, Shelby was on her third tub of laundry, had straightened up her closest so that she could hang up Rachel's clothes, and was now sitting on the other side of the sofa so that she didn't disturb the sleeping teenager spread out on the longer section. Rachel had fallen asleep not even thirty minutes into the movie, so Shelby paused it so they could resume it later and carefully extracted herself from beneath her daughter. She sat with her laptop, going through emails. She had several from her publicist Jackie, talking about this interviewer, that talk show, this late night host, and that magazine, all wanting Shelby and Rachel to do interviews. Jackie urged Shelby to consider accepting some of them at least to try to curb the media demand.

Shelby sighed. She knew sooner or later she would have to do at least a few interviews, especially since she was going to be announcing her retirement from _Wicked_ and Broadway tomorrow afternoon at the matinee show. That was going to stir up even more buzz and the paparazzi would be out for blood. Shelby was trying to shield Rachel from as much of the media backlash as she could, but truth was, there was only so much Shelby could do. It was probably better to do this on her own terms than be forced into it later. Sighing again, Shelby shut her laptop and set it down next to her. She would deal with all of this later.

Shelby planned on just sitting and watching Rachel sleep for a while, but a knock at the door had her jumping up immediately. She didn't want the raps to wake up her sleeping girl. She looked out the peephole just to make sure it wasn't a stranger—though they'd be hard pressed to get passed George or any of the security guards in the lobby. But when Shelby saw who it was, she smiled broadly and quickly flung the door open.

"Oh my God, Sasha! What are you doing here?" Shelby asked excitedly, standing aside so the woman could come in. She was carrying a large box and a stack of mail.

"I couldn't wait to see you and I'm _dying_ to meet Rachel!" Sasha replied, laughing and setting the box on the floor. "George sent that up with me, and I took the liberty of getting your mail for you. You're welcome."

"Well shh, she's actually taking a nap right now! I don't want to wake her!" Shelby said, lowering her voice and ushering Sasha into the apartment. "And thank you for bringing that stuff up."

"Oh _Shelby_!" Sasha sighed, placing her hand to her heart. "She's beautiful! And looks just like you!"

Shelby smiled proudly and went over to place a soft kiss to Rachel's forehead. She took a moment to adjust the blanket before turning back to Sasha. "Would you like a cup of coffee? We can catch up. I've missed you," she said.

"That sounds wonderful," Sasha replied, following Shelby into the kitchen. "How are you guys doing? I know you said you had a bit of a rough time on Thursday."

"She still won't tell me what made her so upset that day, but we did talk for a long time today. She shared a lot—more than I was expecting, actually. I have a feeling it's going to be a slow process," Shelby replied, pulling out the Folgers container.

"Well you're already doing an amazing job, Shel. You are a _wonderful_ mother," Sasha said.

"Well I'm trying," Shelby said, making a face at her friend. The beautiful blonde woman sitting at her kitchen island was her best friend in the entire world, and had been since freshmen year at NYU. She was especially great when Shelby decided to become pregnant with a child she wouldn't be able to see for eighteen years afterwards just so a gay couple could start a family. Sasha hadn't agreed with Shelby's decision, but she supported her none-the-less. Shelby had become pregnant with Rachel in April of senior year, and Sasha had helped her through the last few weeks of classes and awful morning sickness. Finals that year had been rough; Shelby had to go perform _I Dreamed a Dream_ from _Les Mis_ at nine am on a Monday morning—right in the middle of her daily morning worship of the porcelain throne. Sasha had taken Shelby to her final, shoving Saltines down Shelby's throat and ordering her not to throw up. Shelby nailed the song and promptly ran off stage where Sasha was waiting with a trashcan. She remembered Sasha holding out the can and letting Shelby empty her stomach contents while she held Shelby's hair back for her and rubbed soothing circles on her back.

"Are you excited to go back on stage tomorrow? I've missed you there! Katie just isn't up to your standards!" Sasha said. "You're the only Elphaba as far as I'm concerned."

Shelby couldn't help but laugh. Katie was Shelby's understudy and had taken over as the lead while Shelby was in Ohio. And she'd be taking over for good once Shelby finished the coming week. "I am excited actually! I can't wait to take Rachel—I know she's going to love the show and seeing backstage," she replied, leaning against the counters while she waited for the coffee to brew.

"Mommy?"

"Speaking of Rachel," Shelby laughed, raising her eyebrow playfully at Sasha. "In here, baby!"

"Mom, why'd you let me sleep again, I—" Rachel trailed off when she came into the kitchen area and saw a woman sitting at the island. And not just any woman, but _Sasha Montgomery_ who plays Glinda on _Wicked_! To say she was star-stuck would be the understatement of the century.

"Rachel baby, I'm glad you're up! I'd like you to meet—"

"Oh my God, you're Sasha Montgomery! You're amazing! I love you in _Wicked_ and I—" Rachel rambled excitedly, before realizing she was standing in front of one of her idols, dressed in nothing but her mother's large t-shirt and underwear. "_Mom_!" she complained, pulling at the hem of her mother's shirt self-consciously.

Shelby scooted over to Rach and the girl immediately hid behind her. Shelby laughed again and tried to pull her out in front of her again, but the girl was having none of that. Shelby rolled her eyes good-naturedly at Sasha and said, "Rach, this is my best friend, Sasha. Sasha, this is my baby girl."

Sasha stood up and took a step towards Rachel, smiling warmly at the girl. Shelby felt Rachel reach up and grab the back of her shirt. "Mom, I'm not _dressed_!" she whispered, agitated.

"Oh Rach, you're fine. Aunt Sasha doesn't care what you're wearing, do you Aunt Sasha?" Shelby said, her eyes twinkling impishly. She noticed Sasha melt at Shelby referring to her as "aunt".

"I don't mind at all. I've heard so much about you, Rachel," Sasha said, inching closer to the young girl hiding behind her best friend.

"Mommy," Rachel whined again, tugging on the back of her mom's shirt urgently.

Shelby sighed and rolled her eyes. It seems her little girl would not be happy until she went to change. "I left a pair of shorts and a tank top out on the bed for you earlier. There's fresh undies too," Shelby said, turning around so she could look down at her little girl.

"_Mom_!" Rachel hissed, embarrassed. She could feel her face heating up. Why did her mom have to say _undies_ in front of Sasha Montgomery?!

"Just go get changed," Shelby laughed, sending her daughter off with a few playful pats to her bottom. She shook her head as Rachel scampered off to the bedroom, pausing to grab the pillow and Henry from the sofa on the way.

Rachel came back moments later dressed in a hot pink tank top with a yellow star on the front and navy mesh shorts. She had brushed her hair to get rid of her bed head and looked more like her usual spunky self.

Shelby and Sasha were just fixing their coffee when the girl returned. "Will you give a proper hello to your aunt now?" Shelby asked with a raised eyebrow, sipping at her coffee.

"Yes, come here so I can hug you!" Sasha agreed, setting her own cup on the counter and opening her arms wide. She smiled warmly at Rachel, waiting patiently for the girl to make her way over to her.

Rachel glanced back and forth from her mother to Sasha, not sure what to do. She was really expected to call Sasha Montgomery "aunt"? That was…absolutely _amazing_! The girl reached over to pinch her arm to see if she was dreaming. Nope, that definitely hurt!

Shelby shook her head at her daughter's dramatics and gently pushed her towards Sasha's waiting arms. She smiled as Sasha enveloped the girl in a bone-crushing hug, lifting her up off her feet and swinging her back and forth slightly. "Jeez, Sash! Don't break my kid before I've really gotten to enjoy her!"

Sasha laughed and set Rachel back on her feet, planting a big wet kiss to her cheek and squeezing her once more before letting her go. "I'm so happy to finally meet you, Rach! Your mom has told me so much about you already!" she said, smiling down at the girl who was staring at her with wide eyes, touching the spot on her cheek she had just kissed.

Rachel couldn't move. Sasha Montgomery just kissed her cheek! She really wanted to ask for an autograph, but wasn't sure how to do that…She couldn't remember how to speak at the moment.

**Open Arms * Open Arms * Open Arms**

By the time nine o'clock rolled around, Rachel was acting perfectly normally around her Aunt Sasha. It wasn't hard to do once her mom and Sasha settled her down between them on the sofa and they all watched the rest of _My Best Friend's Wedding_ together. Shelby and Sasha joked and told Rachel stories of their college years, making their way on Broadway, and stories from their time on _Wicked_ together. Rachel sat transfixed, holding onto their every word, soaking it all in. Then when her mother told Aunt Sasha about Rachel's singing, of course Aunt Sasha wanted her own personal concert. That was when Shelby showed Rachel what was in her office and she didn't ever want to leave that room _ever_ again.

"C'mon Rach, you can sing later. Let's say goodbye to Aunt Sasha so we can get ready for bed! We've got a long day ahead of us tomorrow!" Shelby said, having to practically carry the girl away from the piano.

"Mommy, just one more song!" Rachel whined as her mom ushered her towards the hallway.

"We'll have plenty of other opportunities while we're here to hang out with Sasha and have mini concerts. The neighbors are probably ready to call the cops on us. Let's give us all a rest for the night," Shelby replied, pulling the door to her office shut firmly behind her as she led Rachel to the living room. "Sash, I had a wonderful time. Thank you so much for visiting today!"

"It was my pleasure! I just couldn't wait any longer to see you or my adorable niece!" Sasha replied, pulling Rachel into her arms for a hug goodbye. She kissed her head several times before turning to hug and kiss Shelby goodbye. "I'll see you both bright and early tomorrow! Goodnight!"

"Night Sash. Let me know when you got home, so I know you're safe!" Shelby said, walking her friend to the door.

When Shelby turned away from the door after locking it, she was met with a very dramatic pouting face from her fourteen-year-old. "Little girl, I _invented_ that face, so that won't work on me. It's time we start settling down for the night," she said, ignoring Rachel's whine.

"Mommy, just one more?" Rachel begged, sticking her lower lip out even further.

"Absolutely," Shelby said, watching as Rachel's face lit up. "Not." And then it fell.

"But Mommy!" Rachel whined, stomping her foot in her frustration. She slumped her shoulders and quickly cast her eyes to the floor at her mother's warning glance. She had even raised her left eyebrow, and Rachel was beginning to learn that nothing good ever followed that.

Shelby shook her head at her daughter's antics. The girl was definitely spirited. That was going to get her into trouble if she didn't learn to control it better, however. Sighing, Shelby took the two steps towards her daughter and grabbed her right arm, turning her towards the bedroom. "Go change into your pajamas," she ordered, popping her solidly on her bottom once.

Rachel whimpered slightly at the swat her mom gave her, and quickly turned to wrap her arms around her mother's waist. She figured buttering her up a bit would be a good idea at this point. "I love you, Mommy," Rachel said, looking up and smiling innocently at her mom.

Shelby smiled and scrunched her face at her daughter. "I love you too, you little brat," she said, placing a kiss to Rachel's forehead. "Now go change. We can watch tv for a bit before bed."

Rachel returned moments later once again dressed in Shelby's NYU shirt that was far too big for her. "You know I washed all of your clothes today, sweetie. I have all of your pajamas folded on top of the dresser. Didn't you see them?" Shelby said as Rachel came to sit next to her on the sofa.

"I know. I like this shirt though…It smells like you," Rachel said simply, grabbing at the collar and bringing it up to her nose.

Shelby smiled and pulled her daughter closer so she could kiss her head. "Well then, the shirt's all yours. I have plenty," she replied. Rachel smiled broadly, making Shelby's heart flutter happily. She was glad even the simplest things could make her daughter so happy.

**Open Arms * Open Arms * Open Arms**

By ten o'clock on Sunday morning, Rachel and Shelby were on their way to Gershwin Theatre with Tom and Josh. The play wasn't going to start until two, but Shelby wanted to get there early so she could give Rachel a tour of the theatre and practice a bit before it all began. She had been gone for a week, and while she knew all of her lines, she wanted time to get back into her groove. And Shelby thought Rachel would like to see her practice anyway. She had a feeling the girl would want to sing a few of the songs along with her, which was just fine with Shelby. Mother and daughter had sung _Defying Gravity_ together the night before while Sasha played on the piano. Rachel's voice was just breathtaking, and Shelby would be happy to listen to her baby sing to her for the rest of her life and be perfectly content. Shelby actually wanted to run an idea past Joe, the director, for her announcement after the show.

Rachel was dressed in a plain white polo and blue denim skirt, but her mother had a dress for her to change into for later. It was in the box of clothes her fathers had sent over. Turns out, Shelby had asked them for some of Rachel's more formal dresses for the their time in New York.

"Mom, when are you going to take me out to see all of New York?" Rachel asked as she leaned across her mother to look out the window of the cab. She was amazed at how tall all the buildings were. And there were so many people! They all walked with a purpose. Rachel couldn't wait until she lived in New York for real, going to college and pursuing her dreams. "I want to see _everything_! I really want to go to Central Park. Oh Mom, can we do that today?"

"Sit back, Rach," Shelby said, trying to get her daughter to return to sitting upright. The girl was only wearing the lap buckle because she was squished in the middle of the backseat between her and Josh. Shelby didn't want her moving around so much, just in case they got into an accident. "I'll take you to see whatever you want to see next week, after I finish my scheduled shows. My last one is a matinee on Saturday. As for the park, I don't think we'll go today, Rach, but some time this week. I promise."

"I want to see the Empire State Building! Oh, and the Statue of Liberty! Maybe we can walk around Times Square some too. Can we, Mom? Please?" Rachel rattled on excitedly. Shelby caught Josh's eye and couldn't help but smile.

"Yes baby, we can do all of that, I promise. Next week. I'll have to talk to Jackie—"

"Your publicist? Why?" Rachel asked, again trying to see out of the window. Shelby pushed her up once more.

"Yes, Jackie is my publicist. Because I have to accept interviews from a few talk shows," Shelby replied.

"Can I come with you when you go? I'd love to see what an interview is like!" Rachel said, bouncing in her seat in her excitement.

"Rachel, sit still! And yes, you'll be coming with me. They're going to want to interview the both of us," Shelby said, finally deciding to put her arm around her child and hold her close.

"Really? I'm going to be on tv with you?" asked Rachel, staring at her mom in awe. She couldn't believe what she was hearing.

"Yes. I haven't decided which ones I'll accept yet. That's why I have to speak with Jackie. I'll probably do that later today, actually. She may come over so we can do it all in person. You'll get a chance to meet her for longer than a few minutes," Shelby replied, happy that the cab was pulling up outside the theatre.

Fifteen minutes later, Shelby had introduced Rachel to Joe and a few of the stagehands and was now getting her settled in her dressing room. Sasha had texted her telling her she was on her way, so Shelby thought it would be a good time to try to get Rach to eat a little something while they waited. Shelby had only been able to get the girl to sit still long enough to eat a half a piece of toast before she was bouncing all over the apartment, talking animatedly about the day's upcoming events.

**Open Arms * Open Arms * Open Arms**

Rachel sat in apt attention, watching as makeup artist Jessica painted her mother green. It was amazing watching her work—it truly was an art form. Right in front of her eyes, her mother was turning into Elphaba, the Wicked Witch of the West. Rachel was getting impatient for the show to start—she wanted to see it so bad. She was dying to see her mother in action. Rachel got to see a glimpse of her mother getting into character during her morning practice with Aunt Sasha. It was even better than last night in Shelby's office. They let Rachel join in for some of the songs—because, of course, Rachel knew them all by heart. Some of the other actors sat around to watch as Shelby sang with her daughter; they all clapped at the end. The director even came over to compliment Rachel on her talent and told Shelby she should be very proud of her daughter. Rachel beamed when Shelby told Joe she couldn't be prouder.

Putting on the makeup took close to an hour to complete. Rachel was getting antsy. "Mommy, can I go walk around?" she asked, bouncing her foot to try to get rid of some of her pent up energy.

Shelby looked over at her antsy child. She didn't think it was a good idea for her to go wandering off in her current state—she was bound to get into some kind of trouble. No, Shelby wanted to keep her right where she could keep an eye on her at all times. "You can stay right here. You can change into your dress awhile if you'd like. We're almost done here and then Tom and Josh are going to take you to your seats," Shelby replied.

"But Mommy, I won't go very far. I can go see Aunt Sasha in her dressing room!" Rachel said. She just wanted to get up and move. She wanted to see all the action; she could hear shouts and lots of talking outside Shelby's closed door and she wanted to be apart of that.

"Aunt Sasha is doing the exact same thing I am, sweetheart," Shelby said, sighing. Jessica caught her eye and smiled broadly; she knew how these sorts of things went, having two children herself.

"Mommy!" Rachel whined.

Shelby caught her daughter's eye in the mirror and lifted a carefully crafted black eyebrow, causing Rachel to shrink down in her seat. "Your dress is hanging up on the back of the bathroom door. Go in there and change, please," Shelby said, leaving no room for argument.

Rachel gulped at her mother's stern voice and the look she was still getting. Her mom was even scarier when she was green! Nodding quickly, Rachel hopped off the sofa and dashed into the bathroom.

"She's quite a firecracker, isn't she?" Tom commented from the table in the corner where he and Josh were playing a game of gin rummy.

When Rachel came out of the bathroom ten minutes later, Shelby was finished with makeup and Becca had just come in, bringing in her costume.

"Oh Rachel," Shelby said in awe at the sight of her daughter. "You look beautiful."

Rachel was wearing a very pretty sleeveless red dress that stopped just above her knees. A thin black belt was fastened at her waist, and she paired it with cute black ballet flats. She smiled at her mom's compliment.

Shelby went over to her purse, which was sitting on the coffee table and rummaged through it for a moment until she pulled out a small black box. She turned and held it out for her daughter. Rachel glanced up at her and then back at the box. "Well come open it, silly," Shelby said, chuckling softly.

Rachel made her way over to her mother and took the little velvet box from her. She opened it carefully and gasped when she saw what was inside: a small gold star necklace. "Mommy…it's beautiful!" she said, looking up at her mom once again.

"It's actually mine, but…I thought you might like to have it," Shelby said, holding her hand out for the box. Rachel handed it over without a word and watched as her mom carefully took the necklace from it. Shelby made a little motion with her finger so Rachel would turn, and she did so, holding her hair up and away from her neck as she did. Shelby fastened the necklace and turned Rachel around by her shoulders.

Rachel reached her hand up to touch the necklace as soon as her mom began to put it on her. She still had her first two fingers feeling it when her mother turned her back around. She let her hand fall and stared into her mom's hazel eyes with watery eyes of her own. "Thank you," she said thickly. She went to wrap her arms around her mother but stopped herself; she didn't want to ruin her mother's makeup.

Shelby noticed Rachel's hesitation and pulled the girl to her. The stuff they put on her would only come off with soap and water, so there was no danger of Rachel accidentally rubbing it off. She gently kissed Rachel's head so as to not smudge her makeup and then let go. She really did need to finish getting ready.

**Open Arms * Open Arms * Open Arms**

Rachel was standing and clapping along with everyone else at the end of the play, tears making their way down her face. She clapped until she thought her hands would fall off. She clapped especially loud for her mother and Aunt Sasha. They were both taking their last turn bowing.

The curtain closed for the final time and Rachel turned to Josh and Tom expectantly. She wanted to get back to see her mom as fast as she could. She didn't care if the two bodyguards had to plow their way through the throng of people; she wanted to get back there _now_! The clapping was just starting to die down, but the lights weren't coming back on, which was strange. All of a sudden, the curtains came back up and her mother was walking back onto center stage.

Shelby looked out at the sea of people, all clapping and cheering for her. She stared out into the middle of the third row and saw her little girl clapping and jumping up and down, a huge smile plastered on her face. Shelby felt her heart soar as she raised her left hand to wave at the audience. The audience got louder.

"Hello everyone!" Shelby spoke, waiting until the din had quieted down to merely whispers. She heard someone cough. "I hope you all enjoyed the performance." More cheers.

"I have an announcement to make. As I'm sure some of you have heard, I have just been reunited with my daughter," Shelby continued. She paused while the audience clapped. She smiled broadly and nodded, signaling for them to quiet down. "My dream has always been Broadway. I love acting—it is my true calling in life. Well…until I received the call regarding my daughter. She is the most important person in my life…my biggest accomplishment. She's my dream now."

Rachel listened to her mother's words, her heart beating rapidly in her chest. Her mom had told her those things before, but now she was standing in front of a packed theatre house, telling thousands of strangers it as well. Rachel was her dream.

"To do what is best for my daughter, I am retiring from Broadway and moving back home so that I can raise her properly, away from the spotlight," said Shelby. She heard a mixture of disappointed groans and adoring "awws". "Now, I'd like to introduce you to my daughter, and if you all don't mind…I'd like to perform a song for you all, with the help of my little girl. Rachel, would you come up here, baby?"

Rachel sat stunned. She hadn't heard that right. She couldn't possibly have heard that right. She was dreaming. Had her mother really just asked her to come up on stage to sing a song with her, in front of a huge audience, at Gershwin Theatre?

"Well get up there, kid!" Josh said, shaking Rachel out of her stupor. He helped Rachel stand and then guided her through the row of people. Rachel was at the stairs leading to the stage and she couldn't remember how to walk up the steps. _Oh God, please don't let me trip_, she silently prayed, taking a deep breath. She made it over to her mother as if in a daze.

Shelby watched as her daughter made her way to stage. Her heart was racing. She had spoken to Joe earlier and he had been more than willing to allow Shelby to announce her retirement any way she wished. He thought having Rachel sing with her had been a brilliant idea; he had been stunned when he heard such a big, powerful, beautiful voice come out of such a tiny girl earlier.

As soon as Rachel's foot hit the stage, Shelby was making her way to her child. When she reached her, she pulled the girl in a big hug, lifting her off the ground and spinning her around once. The crowd exploded in cheers. One of the stagehands ran out and tapped Shelby on the shoulder, handing her a microphone for Rachel.

Rachel took the mic from her mother and waited for her next move. Her mom held her hand out and Rachel took it, letting her mother lead her back to the center of the stage.

"Defying Gravity is my favorite song from this musical, and I'd like to sing that now with my Rachel. Rachel, are you ready?" Shelby said, her eyes never leaving her daughter's. Rachel nodded excitedly.

The orchestra began playing and Shelby began to sing.

_Something has changed within me  
__Something is not the same  
__I'm through with playing by the rules of someone else's game_

Shelby nodded at Rachel and the girl took over.

_Too late for second guessing  
__Too late to go back to sleep  
__It's time to trust my instincts  
__Close my eyes and leap_

The crowd roared. Rachel hardly even heard it. She blocked everything out and was just focusing on her mother. It was just like she was back singing in their apartment. Nothing else mattered. Only her.

Shelby was floating on Cloud 9. It was an amazing feeling to be up here on stage, her favorite place in the world, with her daughter, the most important person in the world. It truly was her dream come true. Shelby knew without a doubt that leaving Broadway was the right decision for Rachel. Yes, she would miss it, but this moment right now would make it all worthwhile.

Shelby sang the next verse, never taking her eyes off Rachel. This part was for her especially.

_Unlimited  
__Together we're unlimited  
__Together we'll be the greatest team  
__There's ever been  
__Rachel  
__Dreams the way we planned 'em_

Rachel sung Glinda's response before they both joined in again.

_If we work in tandem_

_There's no fight we cannot win  
__Just you and I  
__Defying gravity  
__With you and I  
__Defying gravity  
__With you and I  
__Defying gravity_

Shelby grabbed Rachel's hand and held tight. She could feel tears making their way now her face. It was probably ruining her eye makeup, but she didn't care. She didn't care if she cried all the green right off of her face.

_So if you care to find me  
__Look to the western sky  
__As someone told me lately:  
_"_Everyone deserves the chance to fly"_

Shelby took a breath while Rachel took the next part. Her daughter was amazing. Shelby was so proud of her little girl in this moment. Here she was, fourteen years old, on a Broadway stage, singing to thousands of strangers. She was a natural!

Shelby joined her daughter for the chorus again and then her heart soared as Rachel took over again.

_And nobody in all of Oz  
__No Wizard that there is or was  
__Is ever gonna bring me down!  
__Bring me down!  
__Oh ahh ahhh!_

Rachel hit the notes perfectly, sending chills up and down Shelby's spine. She watched as her daughter finished, her arms stretched out wide, Rachel's head held back, the microphone held above her. The girl definitely knew how to command an audience.

As soon as Rachel's note faded out, the audience was on their feet, cheering, clapping, and stomping their feet. They were louder than Shelby had ever head an audience be. And it was all for her baby. She watched as Rachel bowed and waved. Her kid truly was a natural.

"I'm so proud of you!" Shelby yelled to be heard, as she pulled Rachel in for a long hug. The audience's cheers became even louder, if that was even possible.

Rachel's heart was beating excitedly. She gave several more bows along with her mother before the curtains closed for the final time. She turned to her mom, a huge smile on her face. She was never going to forget this moment, not ever.

* * *

**Thank you all for the amazing reviews. I appreciate that you all take the time to write to me. I feel I have to reply to one reviewer in particular, so I have done so below. **

**To Caroline:** I wish I was able to message you privately to discuss this, but since you do not have an account, this is the only way I can reply to you. First, thank you for taking the time to review, and for complimenting my writing style. I disagree with your statement that my story lacks originality, however. I know my story shares similarities with other stories out there, but that is simply because there are so _many_ Shelby/Rachel stories. You mentioned a few examples in your review of how my story isn't original, so I'll address those points. The Berry men in my story are not monsters—they love Rachel, but they feel they cannot care for her and be the parents she deserves. They are _giving_ her to Shelby, not leaving her on Shelby's doorstep. The interaction with Rachel and Shelby's award was put in to further demonstrate Shelby's love for Rachel. Rachel's biggest dream is to make it on Broadway and win a Tony, and she doesn't believe anything is more important than that. For Shelby to tell Rachel that she is not only leaving Broadway behind to take care of Rachel but that she is also worth more than a million Tony Awards is crucial to my story. Shelby is in essence telling Rachel that Rachel is Shelby's biggest dream/accomplishment. You are comparing apples to oranges when comparing my story to those of Trebles and Tones and Gleeks09. I actually find it amusing that you specifically brought up their stories because they are fellow fanfic friends of mine and I speak with them on a semi-regular basis about this story. As for trotting out _Funny Girl_, I'm about 98% certain Rachel's liking of that movie is canon. I personally haven't come across another story that has used _Baby Mine_, but I'm sure there have been some. That is purely coincidental. I used that song because I find it to be a beautiful lullaby and perfect for Shelby and Rachel's moment in Chapter One. In terms of the swatting, I realize that others write about that as well, but if you took a moment to look at my profile or peruse any of my other stories on this site, you'd realize my stories always include this theme. I'd have included it regardless of whether or not others have done it before. But none of the aforementioned things I would consider storylines. They are simply tiny scenes in a much bigger story. My story is about Shelby and Rachel coming to terms with being mother and daughter after fourteen years of not knowing each other. I have personally never come across a storyline where Rachel's fathers willingly give their daughter to Shelby for _Rachel's_ happiness rather than their own. I've read many where they leave her to Shelby because they want nothing to do with her. My Berry men simply aren't parent material, but that does not make them horrible men (that in and of itself is original). I appreciate your opinion and I am in no way belittling it; you have a right to it just as I have the right to mine. I simply wrote this to explain my standpoint.


	6. Defying Boundaries

******If you're reading this message, it means Fanfic fixed their shit and my chapter was updated! FINALLY! I was just as upset as all of you who were messaging me or sending reviews. I hope this chapter proves to have been worth the wait!**

* * *

**Chapter Six: Defying Boundaries**

"Rachie, that was amazing!" Sasha gushed, running over to the girl and pulling her into a big hug. "_You_ were amazing!"

"You were wonderful!" said William, the actor who plays Fiyero. He came and patted Rachel on the back before hugging Shelby. "We're going to miss you here."

More of the crew and actors came to congratulate Shelby and Rachel on their performance, offering well wishes and hugs aplenty.

"C'mon Rach, let's get back to my dressing room. I want to get cleaned up," Shelby said once she had spoken to everyone off stage. She took Rachel's hand and led her daughter back to her room.

"Mommy, that was amazing! All the people…I was on stage, Mom! I really did it!" Rachel rambled as she walked, tripping over her own feet in her excitement.

"Be careful! And yes, you certainly did! You were incredible. I'm so proud of you, sweetheart," Shelby replied, smiling.

"We should go out and celebrate, Mom! You, me, and Aunt Sasha! Let's go to dinner or something! Can we?" Rachel said as her mom ushered her into the dressing room.

"I don't think that's going to work out today, sweetie, but we can ask Aunt Sasha if she wants to come have dinner with us back home," Shelby replied, smiling sadly at Rachel's crestfallen pout.

"Mommy please, it's just dinner," Rachel begged, her lower lip sticking out.

"I'm sorry, sweetie. I promise I'll take you out to dinner before we head back to Ohio. We'll have a nice girls' night in—it'll be fun, I promise," Shelby said gently.

"But Mom, we haven't been out of the apartment all weekend!" Rachel whined, her pout becoming even more obvious.

Shelby had to work quickly if she didn't want a full-blown tantrum on her hands. She knew it was only a matter of minutes before little Miss Rachel would stomp her foot and huff dramatically.

"Rach, we've been at the theatre practically all day today!" Shelby said lightly, hoping her joking tone would settle her little drama queen down.

"That's not what I mean! I want to see New York. Mommy, please!" Rachel whined, stomping her foot. She crossed her arms across her chest and let out a loud sigh, looking forlornly at her mother.

_There it is_, Shelby thought to herself. "I know you do, sweetheart. And I promise I'll take you to see every bit of New York next week. This week I just don't think I'll be able to do it. I've still got six more shows, and I need to sit down and figure out what interviews we will be doing. I want to get all of that out of the way _this_ week so that you and I can spend all next week relaxing and doing what _you_ want, baby. I don't want anything to get in the way next week," Shelby said, pulling her daughter in for a hug. She reached a hand down to pat Rachel's bottom gently, hoping to calm the girl's fit she was so determined to throw.

Rachel melted into her mother, sighing sadly. Her mom had already told her in the cab earlier that they'd go sightseeing next week. Rachel was just getting impatient. She had always wanted to visit New York, and now she was here and stuck inside. Rachel was a very active child, and liked to get out and _do_ things. She didn't mind all the quiet time she had been spending with her mom—it was quite nice, actually. She was really enjoying getting to cuddle with her mom as much as she wanted—she had never gotten to do that before. But now that she was feeling a bit more comfortable with Shelby, she wanted to go explore the Big Apple. There was so much to see, and Rachel wanted to see every square inch of it before they went back to Ohio in two weeks.

**Open Arms * Open Arms * Open Arms**

The next few days seemed to fly by, and Shelby felt like a chicken running around with its head cut off. Between shows, packing, the many phone calls with Jackie, and keeping Rachel in line, Shelby was exhausted. Shelby was immensely thankful for all of Sasha's help, but even with the extra pair of hands, she wanted nothing more than for Saturday to come so that she could be finished with her very last performance on _Wicked_. It was bittersweet for her. Shelby was going to miss the stage very much, along with all the amazing people she got to work with, but she was also looking forward to her next chapter with Rachel.

Monday Shelby spent most of her day packing up clothes and other things she wanted to take back to Ohio while Sasha was keeping Rachel occupied with stories in the living room. She had already decided that she would keep the apartment in the city so that she and Rachel could visit when they wanted, so that definitely made things easier. The only large furniture going back home would be the piano in the office and the tall bookshelf holding all of Shelby's music books. She saw no reason to leave those behind where she couldn't use them.

Tuesday morning, Shelby and Sasha took Rachel to Times Square along with Tom and Josh so that the girl could at least get out a bit. Shelby did feel bad that Rachel had to stay inside so much. It wasn't fair to her daughter that she couldn't do all the normal things other kids her age could do with their mothers just because _her_ mother was a huge Broadway star and was being followed around by dozens of paparazzi.

Rachel seemed to have really enjoyed herself at Times Square, and Shelby even let the girl drag her into several of the tourist trap shops where she bought her quite a few souvenirs.

By Wednesday morning, Rachel was bouncing around the apartment, waiting impatiently for the interviewer and photographer from _People Magazine_ to show up. The second interview Shelby had agreed to was a segment on _Live with Regis and Kelly_ that would be filmed Friday morning and air next Tuesday. Jackie had wanted Shelby to accept two other interviews, but Shelby remained firm saying she wanted to keep Rachel out of the public's eye as much as possible. She had to do a few interviews because that was inevitable, but two were more than enough. If the media didn't like it, well tough!

The interview with _People_ had gone well. The interviewer had turned out to be a young woman, no more than twenty-six, who was a huge fan of Shelby's. She was sweet and focused on Shelby and Rachel's reunion, keeping Rachel's fathers out of it altogether. She asked Rachel how she was liking New York so far and went into great detail about Rachel singing on stage with Shelby on Sunday.

Rachel seemed to be eating up the attention. She answered all of the questions like a pro and was completely in her element when the photographer started taking pictures. He had taken dozens of candid shots of mother and daughter as they were giving their interviews, but then had them pose for some. He even had them go into the office so that he could get some shots of them at the piano together.

By the time they left, Shelby and Rachel had about an hour before they had to get to the theatre. Shelby had been happy to see them leave, but Rachel seemed to deflate once they did. That was another reason Shelby had only wanted to do a few interviews; she didn't want Rachel getting too used to all the media. She still wanted her daughter to have a regular childhood. There was plenty of time when Rachel was older to become famous.

**Open Arms * Open Arms * Open Arms**

Thursday rolled around and Shelby was actually surprised by how smoothly her day was going. So far this week had been hectic and something had gone wrong every day. Today had been perfect. She was now in the bathroom of her dressing room, taking a shower to wash all the green off of her. Rachel was waiting on the sofa just outside and then they would meet up with Sasha. Shelby had decided that she would take Rachel out for dinner tonight.

Meanwhile, Rachel was sitting on the sofa, bouncing her foot impatiently. She was bored and wanted to get up and move. Her mom always took ages in the shower every night after the show because of all the makeup and paint or whatever they covered her in to turn her into the Witch. Tapping her fingers against her leg, Rachel looked at the closed door of the bathroom and then the closed door to the dressing room. She could go visit Aunt Sasha while her mom was in the shower, couldn't she? Her mom wouldn't mind, and she'd be with Aunt Sasha!

Rachel stood and after one last glance at the bathroom door, went off in search of her aunt. She found Sasha just coming out of her own bathroom when she entered her dressing room a few doors down.

"Hey Rachie!" Sasha greeted warmly, smiling at her niece. "Why aren't you with your mom?"

Rachel smiled at her aunt's nickname for her. She had taken to calling her "Rachie" now. No one had ever called Rachel that before, but she kind of liked it. "Oh…uh…It's fine for me to be here," Rachel said. It wasn't technically a lie. It _was_ fine for her to be here—her mom let her visit with her Aunt Sasha in her dressing room all the time. "I mean…if you're ok with it?" she added.

"Of course I'm ok with it, silly! Let me just get dressed and then what do you say to you and me going to check out the cool t-shirts? I'll buy you one!" Sasha said. She laughed when Rachel nodded enthusiastically.

Ten minutes later, Sasha and Rachel were heading out to the front of the theatre where the vendors were. The play had ended forty minutes ago, so the majority of the audience had left, but there were still a few stragglers. Sasha stopped to sign autographs for whoever asked. Rachel was even asked by a few people for autographs as well.

"I-I'm not in the play," Rachel said timidly to the first person who asked her, thinking she had her confused for someone else.

"But you're Shelby Corcoran's daughter. I saw you sing on stage with your mom on Sunday. You were wonderful," the woman said. "Please sign my _Playbill_ for me."

"Uh…w-who should I make it out to?" Rachel asked.

"Stephanie," the woman said, smiling excitedly.

Rachel took the _Playbill_ and _Sharpie_ that the woman offered her and wrote: _To my friend Stephanie, Love Rachel Corcoran_. Smiling, she handed it back to the woman. "Thank you," she said.

Sasha watched in amusement as Rachel gave her first autograph and then thanked the woman for letting her sign it. She signed the woman's _Playbill_ next and then stood with her and Rachel for a photo.

Half an hour later, Sasha and Rachel made their way back to Shelby's dressing room. Rachel was carrying a large bag with several _Wicked_ shirts, a hoodie, and two pairs of socks inside. The girl had been so excited for all of the merchandise, Sasha just couldn't say no. Besides, it was the first time she had ever been able to buy anything for her niece, and she wanted to spoil her some. She had big plans on becoming Rachel's favorite aunt.

**Open Arms * Open Arms * Open Arms**

Finally green-free, Shelby turned the water off and grabbed her fluffy towel to dry off. As much as she loved being Elphaba, she would not miss having to spend at least a half hour every night washing her off.

"Ok Rach, I'm almost ready. I just need to get dressed and dry my hair and—"

Shelby was surprised to find the dressing room completely empty when she stepped out. Where was her daughter? Thinking that the girl was playing a trick on her, Shelby looked behind the sofa to see if she was hiding there. Nope. Shelby tried the closet—still no Rachel.

Shelby quickly dressed and opened her door. "Rachel?" she called out. She saw a few stagehands milling about. "Hey, have any of you seen Rachel?" she asked.

"Nope, sorry Shel! We'll keep an eye out for her though," Mike said as he passed.

"Thanks," Shelby mumbled, going to grab her phone. She quickly texted both Tom and Josh to see if Rachel was with either of them. They both responded saying no, but they would start looking for her.

Shelby was just turning to go search for Rachel herself when her daughter came walking in with Sasha, carrying a _Wicked_ bag with her.

"Rachel!" Shelby yelled as soon as her daughter walked through her doorway. "Where have you been?"

"Shelby, what's wrong?" Sasha asked, bewildered.

"I get out of the shower expecting to find my daughter waiting for me, only to find my dressing room empty!" Shelby said angrily, glaring at her daughter.

"What? Rachel, you told me your mom gave you permission to be with me!" Sasha said, turning to the young girl.

"Rachel Barbra, you _lied_ to your aunt?" Shelby interjected.

Rachel looked back and forth from the two angry women towering over her. They each had at least five inches on her.

"I-I…Well, I didn't think you'd mind and it was only a _little_ lie, Aunt Sasha," Rachel stammered.

"Rachel! You can't just go off without my permission!" Shelby scolded.

"And I don't exactly like being lied to, Rachie!" Sasha added.

"I-I'm sorry!" Rachel said, hanging her head. She couldn't look at her mom or aunt's angry faces any longer.

"You can't just wander off whenever you want to, young lady. I need to know where you are at all times. And you most _certainly_ cannot tell your aunt I allowed something when I didn't even know about it!" Shelby said sternly. "I'm very disappointed in you, Rachel," Shelby added, grabbing Rachel's arm and tugging her over to her side.

"Ow! Ow, Mommy!" Rachel yelped when her mom swatted her backside several times. She threw a hand back to block any more swats, but her mom had already let her go. She rubbed at the sting and winced, blinking back a few tears. She glanced up at her mom who still looked really angry. "Mommy, I'm sorry! Are you really mad at me?" she asked timidly, casting her eyes down quickly.

Shelby looked over Rachel to meet Sasha's eyes. Her friend held up her hands and shook her head as if to say: _Don't look at me, you're the mother here!_ Shelby sighed and returned her attention back to her little girl.

"I'm not mad at you, Rachel. I'm upset…and I can't figure out whether to spank you or hug you," Shelby said, crossing her arms over her chest.

Rachel winced and bit her bottom lip. This wasn't the first time her mom threatened her with a spanking—she had been threatening one for her continued yelling since early last week, but had yet to follow through even after Rachel's many outbursts. This was, however, the first time Rachel had seen her mom look at her the way she was doing right now. She wasn't at all sure if her mom was just threatening this time or really _was_ going to spank her.

"I really am sorry, Mommy," Rachel said sadly, meeting her mother's eyes for a minute.

The minute Rachel's big brown eyes met Shelby's, all of Shelby's annoyance dissipated. Poof. Part of her knew that Rachel had just played her, but the larger part just couldn't stay angry at that sweet little face.

"Oh come here, you little brat," Shelby said, opening her arms. Rachel dropped her bag so she could rush over and cling to her mother. Shelby wrapped her arms around the girl tightly and kissed her head. "Don't scare me again," she said, giving Rachel one last swat to her bottom. She held Rachel tighter when she heard the girl whimper.

"I won't, I promise!" Rachel said with a wince. That last swat had been especially hard and made her bottom throb slightly.

"Apologize to your aunt now, Rachel," Shelby said as she let go of her daughter.

Rachel stepped towards her Aunt Sasha timidly, not sure how she was going to react. Would she swat her too? She kept her eyes cast downward until she was about a foot away from her aunt. She looked up into her aunt's green eyes. She didn't look nearly as angry as her mother, but she did look a bit annoyed.

"I-I'm sorry I lied to you, Aunt Sasha," Rachel said quietly, hanging her head.

"Rachie," Sasha said gently, waiting until the girl looked back up at her. "I love you, and I'm looking forward to being the fun, cool aunt. But I can't be so cool if you lie to me, kiddo. I won't be able to trust you, and none of us want that."

Rachel felt tears begin to fall and she quickly brushed them away. She didn't want her aunt to not trust her. "I'm sorry, Aunt Sasha! Are you…do you not want to be my aunt anymore?" Rachel said sadly, beginning to cry.

Sasha looked at Shelby guiltily. She hadn't meant to make the poor kid cry! She just wanted to get across that it wasn't cool to lie. She didn't have any kids, and didn't know how to scold them properly! Crap. She just broke Rachel!

"Of course Aunt Sasha still wants to be your aunt, Rachel," Shelby said gently, motioning for Sasha to hug Rachel.

Sasha quickly pushed her own thoughts aside and pulled the girl into her arms. "I'm always going to be your aunt, kiddo. I love you, Rachie," she said, kissing Rachel's head.

"I'm really sorry, Aunt Sasha," Rachel cried into her aunt's shoulder.

"Hey, hey, it's ok," Sasha cooed, rubbing Rachel's back. "Don't cry, Rachie. It's all over." She continued to hold Rachel until the girl's cries turned to hiccups.

"Alright, well I think it's time we get home now. It's been a long day," Shelby said.

"Home? But Mommy…I thought we were going out to dinner with Aunt Sasha," Rachel said, confused. It had been planned since Monday night. Rachel had really been looking forward to going out to dinner tonight.

"That was before your little Houdini act," Shelby replied sternly.

"I thought I was forgiven?" Rachel asked. She really wanted to go out to dinner.

"You are, Rach, but that doesn't mean you get away without any punishment. You snuck off and then told your aunt that I knew where you were when I didn't. So we're going home tonight instead of going to a restaurant. We can go out on Saturday if you behave yourself," Shelby said.

"But Mommy!" Rachel whined.

"Would you prefer the spanking? Because I can still turn you over my knee if you want to go to the restaurant instead," Shelby said, looming over her child. She raised her eyebrow, daring the girl to argue any more.

Rachel gulped and shook her head vehemently. "No Mommy!" she said, taking an involuntary step back. Rachel wasn't sure what it was about her mother's raised eyebrow, but it sent chills down her spine every time she received it.

"That's what I thought. Now get your things and let's go find the boys," Shelby said. "Sasha, you are more than welcome to come have dinner at home with us. I know this ruins your dinner plans now too."

Sasha watched the interaction between mother and child apprehensively. She couldn't believe how brave Rachel was! If Shelby had been looking at _her_ that way, she'd be taking off in the other direction. Not Rachel, no, she actually started to _whine_! Sasha felt her belly do a little flip when Shelby asked Rachel if she'd prefer the spanking instead. She breathed a sigh of relief when Rachel wised up and backed off. Sasha was definitely going to have to have a little chat with her niece about something called "survival instinct". The girl clearly didn't have it!

"Sure, that's fine," Sasha said, smiling.

Rachel cautiously walked by her mother, shielding her bottom with her hands in case her mom got any ideas to swat her any more. Shelby just shook her head at her daughter's actions. She knew that move—she had done it plenty of times herself as a teen when her own mother was upset with her about something. Shelby wasn't planning on swatting any more tonight as long as Rachel behaved herself, but she wasn't going to tell her daughter that. Perhaps the fear of a swat would keep Rachel in line until bedtime.

**Open Arms * Open Arms * Open Arms**

Shelby sat at the dining room table Sunday morning drinking her coffee and going through emails. She received one from Lauren telling her everything went through fine with the house and it was ready to be moved into, as well as reminding her to look through the paint samples book that Lauren sent. Shelby's family was amazing—they offered to paint the house while her and Rachel were still in New York so that it'd be finished when they returned home. Shelby just had to sit down and start choosing colors. Perhaps she'd do that today with Rachel.

Rachel had been wired the past two days. She had remained subdued for the rest of Thursday evening, but Friday morning the girl woke up with renewed energy. She was excited to go to the set for _Regis and Kelly_, and talked Shelby's ear off the whole way there. Shelby didn't mind; she thoroughly enjoyed Rachel's excited chatter.

By the time they made it on set, Rachel could hardly contain her excitement and kept having to be told to sit still while she got her hair and makeup done. She wore a pretty pink sleeveless dress with small lace flowers embroidery with an ivory braided belt at the waist and cute coral-colored ballet flats.

Shelby just rolled her eyes good-naturally at the makeup artist who smiled warmly at her. She had already finished with Shelby, who was now just sitting in the chair watching her daughter be made up. She was wearing a pretty purple halter dress that flowed when she walked. She paired it with her favorite black patent leather pumps with the red soles.

The interview went well, and Kelly absolutely loved Rachel. She couldn't stop gushing over her after the interview. Shelby and Rachel had sung _Defying Gravity_ at the end, causing the audience to erupt in applause. Kelly ran over to mother and daughter at the end with tears in her eyes, and even Regis seemed to be a little misty eyed.

Rachel was still riding off of her adrenaline rush when Shelby and her made it to the theatre later that day. She decided to stay backstage for that particular show; Shelby had been letting her decide each day if she wanted to go watch in the audience or stay backstage. Rachel had already seen the play from the audience a few times, and she liked seeing the hustle and bustle off stage. She had to promise to stay out of the way and not wander off, but that wasn't an issue. She didn't want to miss a minute of the action.

Rachel was still a bundle of energy all through Saturday. Shelby's last show had been emotional. The audience gave her several standing ovations throughout, and she could hear crying interwoven with the cheers at the very end. Rachel came out for Shelby's final _Defying Gravity_ and sang beautifully. She wound up singing most of it because Shelby was crying too much to get the words out.

The whole cast went out to dinner that night to celebrate. Rachel was excited because she had been looking forward to going out since the start of the week. She had been disappointed when Shelby punished her on Thursday night, but had since then gotten over it. The entire cast had fallen in love with the little spitfire and Rachel spent the whole dinner entertaining them all.

When Rachel and Shelby finally made it into the apartment last night, it was well past midnight. Shelby was exhausted, but Rachel wanted to stay up. Shelby managed to convince the girl to take a shower and then somehow talked her into lying in bed. She rubbed Rachel's back and patted her bottom until the girl fell into a deep sleep. With a deep sigh, Shelby quickly followed her daughter into dreamland.

Shelby was on her second cup of coffee by the time Rachel strolled out of the bedroom, her hair all over the place. "Morning Mom," she sighed, stretching her arms up above her.

"Morning sweetheart. Did you sleep well?" Shelby said, smiling. She looked at the clock on the wall. It was already eleven o'clock. Rachel was getting better at sleeping in, especially when she stayed up extra late at night. She'd still have mornings where she wanted to get up earlier, and Shelby had started allowing her to. She decided she would pick her battles, and if Rachel wanted to get up some mornings at six-thirty, she could—though it normally meant she took a nap in the afternoon.

"Good. Mommy, can we go to Central Park today?" Rachel asked as she took a seat across from her mother.

"Rach, you know I'm taking you tomorrow. We planned a whole day, remember?" Shelby said, closing her laptop so she could focus on her daughter. She had only been surfing the internet anyway.

"I know, but I thought maybe we could go today," Rachel whined, poking her lower lip out in a pout.

"Tom and Josh are both with their families today, sweetie. I don't want to bother them on their day off," Shelby said gently.

"But Mom, it's only Central Park. We could go by ourselves!" Rachel argued.

"I know, sweetie. Right now the media is all over me because my last show was last night and I _know_ I've made a lot of buzz with letting you come sing with me on stage. We've got the whole week planned though, baby. I will take you everywhere. I just need you to be patient for another day," Shelby said, sighing.

"But—"

"Rach," Shelby said in warning, and the girl thankfully quieted down. "I got an email from Aunt LuLu. She misses you and sends her love. And she sent the book of paint samples the other day—I thought we could pick out what colors we want for each room. I know you'll definitely want to choose your bedroom color, but you can help me with the others as well if you'd like," she added, wanting to distract Rachel as quickly as possible.

"I can really paint my room any color I want?" Rachel asked excitedly. She never got to choose the color at her fathers' house. They chose yellow. She didn't mind yellow, but she'd much rather have lavender or a pretty mint green or even a light blue.

"Whatever color you want, baby," Shelby replied, smiling.

**Open Arms * Open Arms * Open Arms**

Rachel sat on the sofa, flipping through channels. She was bored. She had spent some time looking over the paint books with her mom earlier, but had tired of it quickly. Shelby said they could look at it again another time and had suggested they watch a movie. Rachel chose _Chicago_, but they had only gotten through about half of it before Rachel tired of that as well. Shelby had started with a slight headache, so she went to take some medicine and lay down for a bit.

"I'm just going to lay down for a little bit, Rach. You can entertain yourself for a while, can't you?" Shelby asked, brushing Rachel's hair back from her face and planting a soft kiss to her forehead. Her daughter sighed and nodded. "Wake me up at three if I'm not up before then," she added as she went off to the bedroom. Her head was really starting to ache and she just needed to rest for a bit.

Rachel sighed and turned off the tv. Her mom had gone to bed thirty minutes ago. She was probably sleeping. Rachel crept off to the bedroom to check. Sure enough, when she quietly entered the room, her mother was fast asleep. Rachel went over to poke her just to be sure. Yup, she was out.

Already in a tank and shorts, Rachel decided to grab a pair of socks and her tennis shoes before tiptoeing back out into the living room. She found her mother's purse easily enough—it was sitting on one of the dining chairs like usual. She opened up her mom's wallet and took out the first credit card she found and pocketed it. She also took the silver key with the house topper on it and stuck that in her pocket before creeping to the door. Easing it open, she quickly entered the hallway and locked the door.

**Open Arms * Open Arms * Open Arms**

Rachel entered the living room and noticed there were two police officers talking to her mother, who was sitting on the sofa with her head in her hands, crying. Crap. Rachel hadn't expected her mother to be up already! She had only been gone for about forty-five minutes. Her mom had told her to wake her at three! It was only twenty after two! And Rachel _definitely_ didn't expect her mother to be sobbing on the sofa with two officers standing over her!

Hearing the door open and close, Shelby looked up and saw her daughter enter the room, dressed in blue track shorts and her pink star tank top, sweat glistening off her skin. Still crying, she jumped off of the sofa and pulled Rachel into a tight hug. "Oh Rachel! Where have you been? I've been worried sick!" she said as she held her daughter close.

"I…I went to Central Park," Rachel said, barely having time to return her mother's hug before she was being held at arm's length. Rachel noticed her expression changed from relief to anger in a nanosecond.

"Rachel Barbra Corcoran! I told you we'd go there tomorrow. You can't just leave the house like that! I had no idea you were gone or where you went! I thought you had been kidnapped!" Shelby scolded, turning Rachel to her side and landing a mighty swat to her bottom. Two more quickly followed, causing Rachel to rock up on her toes and cry out.

Shelby turned Rachel back around to face her and grabbed ahold of her shoulders. "Don't you EVER scare me like that again! Do you understand me?" she asked.

"Y-yes…I-I promise!" Rachel choked out, her eyes wide. Her bottom stung where her mother struck her, and she wanted nothing more than to reach back and rub the sting. She then remembered that there were two police officers that had just witnessed everything, and her cheeks burned red.

"Go to the bedroom, Rachel. I'll be in to speak with you soon," Shelby ordered, sending Rachel off with another swat.

Shelby thanked the police officers for their help and saw them out, but not before signing an autograph for one of them. "It's for my daughter, she absolutely adores you," he said sheepishly.

She sighed deeply after locking the door and turning back to the sofa. She needed a few minutes to compose herself before she went to talk to Rachel. Actually, she needed her sister. Grabbing her phone from the coffee table, she quickly dialed her sister's number.

"_Hey Shel, what's up?"_ Lauren answered on the third ring.

"Lu…I have a problem," Shelby said, barely managing to keep from crying.

"_What's wrong?"_ Lauren asked, hearing the crack in her baby sister's voice. She listened as Shelby recalled the events of the past hour to her in broken sentences.

"What do I do?" Shelby asked dejectedly, wiping a few tears from her cheek.

"_You already know what to do, Shel,"_ Lauren said gently.

"But—"

"_No buts, baby sister. Rachel went off without your permission once this week already. Last time wasn't so bad, but now she's gone and _really_ done something dangerous. Who knows what could have happened to her. She got lucky. What did you tell Rachel would happen if she did anything dangerous?" _

Shelby sighed. "That'd I'd spank her," she said.

"_Then that's exactly what you're going to do,"_ Lauren replied. _"I told you before that Rachel's testing her boundaries to see where you two stand. You've gone over the rules and consequences. She broke a rule, and now you must give her the consequence. You need to be consistent, Shel. You've been letting her get away with too much lately."_

"I don't want her to hate me," Shelby whispered.

"_Shelby Elizabeth Corcoran, that little girl _adores_ you. She could never hate you. She's testing you because she needs to know that you will be there for her and will do what you say. She knows you are here in the good times, but she now needs to know you're here through the bad too,"_ Lauren said.

"I'll go talk to her," Shelby said, sighing. "Thanks, Lu."

"_Anytime, baby girl. Love you,"_ Lauren said before ending the conversation. Shelby sighed and sat quietly for a few more minutes before making her way to her daughter's bedroom. She paused once more before taking a deep breath and opening the door.

"Mommy, I'm sorry!" Rachel said as soon as her mother walked into the bedroom, flinging herself into her mother's arms. She burst into tears a moment later.

Shelby quickly regained her balance and wrapped her arms around her little girl. She was upset that Rachel had gone out without informing her, but she wasn't going to deny the child comfort when she needed it. She held her for a minute or so until her cries became sniffles. Without a word, Shelby led Rachel over to the bed and sat down with her.

"Rach, we need to talk," Shelby said, mentally preparing herself for what was about to come next.

"Mommy, I'm so so s-sorry," Rachel said, her eyes glistening from unshed tears.

"I know you are, sweetheart, but we still need to talk about it…and then I'm afraid you've earned yourself a spanking," Shelby said sadly.

"No Mommy, please! Don't spank me!" Rachel said, looking up at her mom with big eyes. "I promise I won't do it again! Please Mommy!"

"Rachel, we just discussed this issue on Thursday. You promised me _then_ you wouldn't do it again, and here we are three days later dealing with the same problem. I made a mistake not spanking you then. I won't make that same mistake again, baby. You need to learn that you can't do whatever you want when you want to. You are a child, Rachel. I'm the adult and I am in charge," Shelby said.

Rachel hung her head and picked at a bit of fuzz on the comforter. She couldn't look at her mom anymore. She didn't like this at all. She didn't want to be in trouble, and she _definitely_ didn't want to be spanked. She had wanted to stay in the happy, cuddly stage forever. Now everything was going to change and be all wrong.

"Mommy, please—" Rachel whined, but her mother shushed her. She looked down at her hands and bit her lip.

Shelby wasn't quite sure where to begin. She needed Rachel to know that she could not, under any circumstances, go anywhere without Shelby's permission. She also needed to impress upon Rachel just how dangerous her actions were today. Shelby had no idea where her fourteen-year-old was, nor did she have any way to get in touch with her. Anything could have happened to Rachel and Shelby had no way to know. After a quick deliberation, Shelby decided the best place to start was indeed the beginning.

"Why did you go out, Rach?" she asked, deciding this was as good a place as any to start.

"I…I really wanted to go to Central Park. And I thought it was a nice day for a-a run," she said, not daring to lie to her mother.

"I was going to take you to Central Park tomorrow, Rach. I've told you that several times already. So why did you ignore that and go by yourself?" Shelby asked. She kept her voice calm and soft—she wanted Rachel to talk to her and she _really_ wanted to know what had been going on in her daughter's head when she made her decision to leave the house while Shelby was in bed.

Rachel looked at her mom with sad eyes. She bit her lip and looked down at her hands. "I…I didn't think you'd be up for a while. I-I thought I'd get back before you woke up. I—"

"So you thought sneaking out would be a good idea?" Shelby asked to clarify. She was extremely disappointed in her little girl right now.

"No Mommy, I—"

"Do you know how scared I was when I woke up and found my fourteen-year-old daughter missing? The thoughts that went through my head were terrible. I had no idea where you were or if you were ok. Do you realize just how dangerous your actions were?" Shelby said sternly. She really needed Rachel to understand the seriousness of the situation.

"I-I didn't mean to," Rachel stammered, her tears beginning to brim again.

"Anything could have happened to you, Rachel! You could have gotten hurt, or lost, or attacked! It'd be bad enough if we were a normal family, Rach. You're only fourteen—far too young to go out by yourself in a strange city! On top of that, we are _not_ a normal family. We have the media to worry about. If any of the paparazzi found you, who knows what could have happened! Or if a crazy fan had found you—they could have kidnapped you to get to me! We don't go anywhere in the city without Tom or Josh, so why would you think it's ok for you to go out, _alone_, without my knowledge?" Shelby asked, her voice rising slightly in her anger. There were so many possibilities that could have happened. She was beyond relieved that her daughter was safe, but something like this could never happen again.

"Mom, I…I'm sorry," Rachel all but whispered. She couldn't look at her mother right now, the disappointment and sadness in her eyes was just too much for Rachel to handle. Guilt bubbled up in her stomach and she wanted the earth to open up and swallow her.

"Young lady, you cannot just leave the house without permission, ever. Do you understand?" Shelby said sternly.

Rachel only nodded. She was crying softly now. She really hated this. She liked when her mom was loving up on her, _not_ scolding. And a small voice in Rachel's head kept nagging her that her mom would get rid of her now, that she wouldn't want to deal with a troublemaker.

"I need a verbal answer, baby. I expect you to answer 'yes, ma'am' or 'no, ma'am' in this situation," Shelby said, her voice softening.

"Yes, ma'am," Rachel cried, swiping the back of her hand across her nose quickly.

"How did you even get to the park?" Shelby asked. There was no way her daughter could have gotten there by herself.

"I…I took a cab," Rachel said, not looking into her mom's eyes. She knew she was in a lot of trouble and she didn't want to see the anger in her mother's hazel eyes.

"And how did you pay for it?" Shelby asked, taking a calming breath. She had a feeling she wasn't going to like her daughter's answer.

Rachel reached inside her pocket and pulled out her mother's credit card and house key, holding them out with a shaky hand.

Shelby sighed loudly. "So not only did you sneak out, but you stole my credit card as well? Rachel…I'm very disappointed in you," she said, taking her card and key from her daughter. She saw Rachel wince at her words, but she had to remain firm.

"No, Mommy I…I just borrowed it! I was going to put it back, I swear!" Rachel said, glancing up at Shelby for a brief second before lowering her gaze again. Her eyes were shiny with tears.

"Borrowing without permission is just as bad as stealing, Rachel. You are _never_ to go into my purse and take anything out of my wallet without my permission. If you need money, you may ask me, and I will give it to you—within reason, of course. I will always provide for you, Rach, and I will even get you things you want. But you will not take money or my credit cards without my permission. Am I understood?" Shelby said sternly.

"Yes, ma'am," Rachel replied sadly.

"Rachel, do you understand the seriousness of what you did? Do you know why I'm so disappointed by your actions?"

Hearing her mother's words, Rachel couldn't help the sob that escaped. She wished she could go back and start the day over. She wouldn't have ever left this afternoon. At the time, she hadn't thought that anything bad was going to happen. It had only been a little after one when she left and her mother was sleeping. Rachel figured she had plenty of time to go to the park and return home before Shelby even woke.

"Mommy, I…I wasn't thinking…I didn't think that anything bad w-w-would happen. I didn't mean to worry you. And I didn't mean to steal! I'm so sorry! You have to b-believe me, Mommy!" Rachel sobbed.

Shelby's heart broke. She pulled Rachel into another hug, rubbing her back soothingly. "I know you're sorry, sweetie. I believe you. Shh," she cooed, trying to calm her girl down.

"I'm sorry!" Rachel cried into her mother's shoulder, grateful for the comfort.

"Come on, Rach, we're almost done. Everything will be fine. Stop crying now," Shelby soothed, continuing to rub Rachel's back. "I want you to go take a shower and then we'll finish this discussion, ok?"

Rachel looked into her mom's eyes pleadingly. "Mommy…I promise I won't do it again. I swear! I…I really have learned my lesson! Don't s-spank me," Rachel cried, hoping she could convince her mother not to spank her.

Part of Shelby wanted to just let Rachel off with the talk and maybe ground her, but she knew she had to go through with this. She would hold her for as long as she needed after. Steeling herself, Shelby sighed and said, "I'm afraid you deserve this spanking, Rachel. It's going to hurt, but then it will be over and we can put all of this behind us. And when we're done, I'll hold you as long as you need. I'll hold you all day if you want. I love you so much, Rachel. That's why I'm doing this."

"C-can we just get it o-over with?" Rachel cried, not wanting the spanking to be hanging over her head. She just wanted it to be over and have her mom hold her.

Shelby's heart almost broke at the sight of her daughter looking so dejected. She definitely knew Rachel was sorry, but Shelby had to stand firm on this. Lauren was right…Shelby needed to be consistent. She had told Rachel the consequences, and now she had to follow through with them. This wasn't an issue of Rachel being upset and lashing out. She deliberately chose to sneak out while Shelby was sleeping so she could go to the park like she wanted, even though she knew Shelby said they would go tomorrow. No, this time Shelby couldn't let her baby girl get away with her bad behavior. She was going to have to spank her. Neither of them would like it, but it had to be done.

"I want you to take a shower first. You're sweaty and dirty. And believe me, you won't want to take one afterwards," Shelby replied, helping Rachel stand. "Go on, I'll be here when you're finished."

Rachel only nodded, resigning herself to her fate. She walked off to the bathroom sadly, pausing to grab fresh clothes on her way. Shelby watched her go just as sadly.

**Open Arms * Open Arms * Open Arms**

Rachel took as much time in the shower as she thought she could get away with. Her heart was pounding in her chest and guilt twisted at her stomach. Too soon for her liking, she had finished her shower and dried off. With shaky fingers, Rachel pulled the gray NYU shirt of her mother's she loved so much over her head and slipped on her favorite pair of underwear—they were blue with white stars all over them.

Shelby looked up as the bathroom door opened and Rachel emerged, her head hanging dejectedly. She risked a glance at Shelby and sighed. Shelby's heart went out for her little girl as Rachel began walking over to her as if she were walking to the gallows. Rachel let her mother pull her down so she was sitting down on her left side. She leaned into her mother's shoulder, wanting as much comfort as she could get.

Shelby took a steadying breath and reached for Rachel's hand, running her thumb over the top of it comfortingly. "Rach, I don't want you to be scared, so I'm going to explain how a spanking works, ok?" Shelby asked, and Rachel nodded slowly. Taking another deep breath, Shelby continued, "In a minute, I'm going to put you over my knee and pull down your undies. Spankings will always be on your bare bottom, and I will only ever spank you with my hand. You can cry all you want, sweetie. I expect you to—spankings hurt…I know. You cannot bite or kick me, ok? And don't reach back with your hands. I don't want to hit them by accident. Do you understand?"

"Y-yes, ma'am," Rachel cried, wiping at her eyes with the hand her mother wasn't holding.

Shelby nodded. "Do you have any questions, Rach?" she asked.

Rachel looked at her mom through her tears. She really didn't want to get a spanking. She was scared. "Mommy…do you…do you h-have to?" she cried, flinging herself at her mother and crying into her shoulder.

"Yes, baby, I do," Shelby said sadly. "Let's just get this over with now, hmm?"

Shelby gently moved Rachel so she was lying face down over her lap. She took a moment to push the baggy shirt out of the way and pull Rachel's underwear down below her bottom before pausing. Rachel choked back a sob and tensed her whole body in preparation for the first swat.

Shelby rubbed Rachel's bottom gently, wanting her to relax. She knew from her own experience on the receiving end that tensing just made it hurt worse. After she felt the girl relax some, she took a deep breath and raised her left hand. She let it hang in the air for a second before bringing it down on the center of Rachel's bottom.

"Ow!" Rachel yelped, jumping at the impact. She wasn't prepared for how much it would sting on a bare bottom. It was much worse than the earlier swats she had gotten. She squeezed her eyes shut at the next swat.

Shelby took a deep, steadying breath. This was really happening…she was spanking her little girl. She was going to be making her little girl cry before it was all said and done. Shelby absolutely _hated_ that she was going to be the one to cause her daughter pain. That thought made her pause. Was this really the right decision? _Yes_, a small voice inside Shelby's head said firmly. Shelby thought about all the things that could have happened to her daughter this afternoon, steeling her resolve. She began to spank methodically, making sure to cover every inch of Rachel's bottom.

"Mommy, no! I-I'm sorry!" Rachel cried, squirming back and forth. She wanted to get away from her mother's hand. Who knew her mom had a steel-covered hand?

Shelby tightened her hold on Rachel so she wouldn't wiggle right off her lap and continued spanking. Rachel's bottom was a uniform pink by now. "Why are you getting this spanking, Rachel?" she asked, raining down the swats.

"Ow, b-because I went out w-without per—ow—permission! It was d-dangerous! Mommy, ow!" Rachel cried, grabbing hold of the comforter and bunching it in her fists. She wanted this punishment to be over already—it hurt so much!

"That's right, Rachel. _Anything_ could have happened to you and I would have no way of knowing! What else?" Shelby scolded, turning her attention to her daughter's sit-spots. She lifted her leg for better access and peppered the area with a volley of hard spanks.

"I-I took your credit card without asking! Oh, Mommy, it…it hurts! Please stop!" Rachel sobbed, wiggling as much as she could. Her mother only pulled her closer to her torso to hold her in place.

Her mother spanked for what felt like hours to Rachel, until she gave in and just lay over her mother's lap, crying for all she was worth. Her bottom stung awfully, and she was feeling very repentant. She would _never_ go anywhere without her mother's knowledge again! Ever! Or take her mother's credit card without permission, for that matter!

By now, Rachel's bottom was a bright cherry red, so Shelby gave Rachel a further four spanks—two to each sit-spot—before pulling Rachel's underwear back into place. She quickly scooped Rachel up while maneuvering into a comfortable position against the pillows, laying Rachel almost all the way on top of her.

Rachel sobbed her heart out, clinging to her mother the whole time. She felt her mother's arms wrapping around her protectively and holding her close. "I'm s-s-sorry, Mommy!" she wailed.

"Shhh, you're forgiven, Rachel. It's all over. Hush now, Mommy's right here," Shelby soothed, barely keeping her tears at bay. "I love you, baby."

"M-Mommy, don't…don't get r-rid of me!" Rachel sobbed, rubbing her face on her mom's shirt and getting snot and tears all over it.

"Rachel Barbra Corcoran," Shelby said sternly, picking her daughter's head up so that she could look at her. "I will never get rid of you, ever! You are my daughter, and I love you. I am here for you always. I'm here to encourage you, keep you safe, be your cheerleader, and yes, punish you, but one thing I will _never_ do is get rid of you. Do you understand me?"

"Y-yes, ma'am," said Rachel, staring at her mom through blurry eyes. She quickly returned to her position with her head on her mom's chest so she could continue to be loved up.

Shelby ran her fingers through Rachel's damp hair and down her back. Spanking Rachel just now had been the hardest thing she ever had to do—well, aside from giving her baby up after she was born, that is. But the old saying was true: it really did hurt Shelby more than it had hurt Rachel.

"Mommy, I-I really am s-sorry! I didn't mean to s-scare you! I really wanted to go to Central Park, but I don't even…I don't know why I did it," Rachel cried.

"Oh sweetie, it's ok. Shhh, it's ok," Shelby said, trying to get Rach to calm down. "You're just pushing me—"

"I d-don't want to push you away, Mommy!" Rachel sobbed. She was so scared her mom would find something she didn't like about Rachel and use that as an excuse to be rid of her.

"Oh, that's not what I meant, sweetie!" Shelby soothed, rubbing Rachel's back. "You aren't pushing me away. You're just…testing me. Testing your limits. It's perfectly normal behavior, Rach. I did it to your Nana growing up. And she was always there to put me back in line, just like I'm doing for you."

"Mommy, I'm sorry!" Rachel cried, rubbing her face on her mom's shirt again.

"Shh, it's all over. All's forgiven. No more tears now," Shelby cooed, reaching her hand underneath Rachel's shirt so she could rub her bare back. She began to gently scratch Rachel's back with her nails; Shelby had always loved when he own mother scratched her back as a child.

"You ok now?" Shelby asked when Rachel's tears had subsided.

"Mommy…it hurts," Rachel said sadly, reaching a hand back to rub her bottom. She hissed when that only made the stinging worse.

"I know it does, sweetheart," Shelby soothed. "I hope you learned a lesson from it though. Did you, Rach?"

Rachel nodded vehemently against her mother's chest. "I need to ask your permission before I do things," she said, sniffling.

"Yes you do, Rach. I'm the mother, and I take care of you. You are not free to do as you please. My rules are in place for a reason—to keep you safe," Shelby said gently but firmly.

"Yes, ma'am," Rachel said contritely. "I'm sorry."

"Shh, no more apologies. It's all over. All done," Shelby soothed.

**Open Arms * Open Arms * Open Arms**

Shelby sat on the lounge portion of the sofa, flipping through channels on the tv while Rachel was stretched out on her stomach, her head resting on a pillow in Shelby's lap. Shelby played with her hair absentmindedly. It seemed a freshly spanked Rachel was a very _clingy_ Rachel. Shelby really didn't mind—she was glad that Rachel still wanted her mother's affection after she calmed down. Shelby had been frightened that after she calmed down, Rachel would push her away. It was quite the opposite—it was almost nine at night and Rachel had yet to leave her side.

Shelby looked down at her daughter and noticed she was starting to doze off. She knew the girl had to be tired from the day. Getting a spanking was draining, physically and emotionally. Hell, _giving_ a spanking was draining. Shelby thought it was time for both mother and daughter to head to bed.

"Rach, let's get you to bed, sweetie," Shelby said gently.

"No Mommy. I want to stay with you," Rachel whined, her eyes barely open.

"I'm going to go to bed too, honey. C'mon, sit up," Shelby cooed.

"It hurts," Rachel whined, not moving. She didn't want to move. She just wanted her mom to continue playing with her hair and making her feel loved.

"I know baby," Shelby said, gently dislodging herself from underneath Rachel and standing. She then helped her sleepy little girl stand on wobbly feet and gently guided her towards the bedroom. "Go wash your face and brush your teeth," she said.

Rachel went off to the bathroom to do as her mom said. She really was tired. She wanted her mom to hold her though. She'd cuddle with her once they crawled in bed.

Once Rachel finished in the bathroom, Shelby told her to go lay in bed while she got ready for bed. Ten minutes later, Shelby came out to find Rachel on top of the covers, snuggling with Henry.

"Oh Rach," she sighed, smiling. Shaking her head, Shelby sat next to her daughter on the bed and very gently lifted the girl's shirt. Then, just as gently, she began pulling her underwear down.

Rachel whined and shifted her hips away from her mother. Her bottom hurt and she didn't want her mom messing with it. Wait…why was her mom pulling down her underwear anyway?

"Mom! No!" Rachel cried, now fully awake. "What are you doing? Don't…don't spank me again! I'm sorry!"

"Oh baby, I'm not going to spank you again!" Shelby rushed to reassure her. "I just want to look at your bottom for a minute. And I got the aloe from the bathroom—it'll make you feel a little better. Not so sore."

Rachel was near tears. She was tired and was almost asleep when she suddenly felt the cool air on her bare bottom. Her very _sore_ bare bottom, she might add! The last time she had felt cool air on her bottom, it was in preparation for having it thoroughly warmed by her mother's _very hard_ hand.

Shelby rubbed Rachel's back to calm the girl since she was working herself up. She hadn't meant to startle her, and _definitely_ hadn't meant to make her think she was getting another spanking. She hummed _Baby Mine_, which seemed to calm her sufficiently so that Shelby could return to her original task.

Rachel's bottom was still fairly red and warm to the touch. Shelby had no doubt that it still hurt something awful. She wasn't sorry she had spanked Rachel, but of course she didn't like to see her girl hurting. Rachel had paid her penance for today's misdeeds. So, very carefully, Shelby began to apply the aloe lotion to her daughter's tender rear.

Rachel flinched when the cold goo touched her skin, and winced when her mom began rubbing it in. She was being gentle, but Rachel's bottom was sore. It felt like a rug burn on top of sunburn. The cool aloe was beginning to help cool some of the fire though. Rachel felt herself begin to relax as her mom continued.

Shelby made sure to cover every part of Rachel's bottom, rubbing it in as much as she dared. She didn't want to rub too much, knowing that would just irritate Rachel's skin even more, but she didn't want it to be thick and gooey and stick to her clothing.

Rachel gasped in surprise when her mother began fanning her hand above Rachel's exposed skin, making the lotion feel even colder as it dried. It actually felt quiet good and Rachel was soon sighing contently.

Shelby carefully replaced her daughter's clothing and helped the girl crawl under the covers. She climbed in beside her and waited until Rachel had found a comfortable enough spot on her stomach to settle down before leaning over to kiss her goodnight.

"I love you, Rachel," Shelby said quietly, snuggling down next to her little girl. She reached her hand out to very carefully slide under Rachel's shirt so that she could scratch her back softly. She had found out earlier that Rachel enjoyed that very much—the girl had asked her several times to scratch her back this afternoon alone.

"I love you too, Mommy," Rachel sighed, pulling Henry closer to her and cuddling down into her pillow. As much as her bottom stung, Rachel felt safe and loved. She'd take the sore bottom if it meant she could feel this way forever with Shelby.

* * *

**Thank you all who have continued to review, _especially_ those of you who review each and every chapter. It means to much to me, you have no idea! I hope you all enjoyed this chapter. :)**


	7. Rumors

**Chapter Seven: Rumors**

Shelby lay with Rachel until the girl was sound asleep. She wanted to sleep as well, but her brain was buzzing with the events of the day and Shelby knew there would be no sleep for her until she talked about it. She needed her big sister. Shelby carefully pulled her arm out from under Rachel's shirt and eased away from the sleeping girl. She tiptoed from the room and kept the door cracked so she could hear if Rachel called for her.

Grabbing the cordless house phone from its dock, Shelby quickly dialed her sister's number and waited as she listened to the rings.

"_Hello?"_ a young boy said.

"Hey Michael! How are you, sweetie?" Shelby asked, smiling.

"_Hi Aunt Shel! Fine. Me and Haley are watching a movie!"_ the boy said excitedly.

"That's great, sweetie. Tell Haley I said hi," Shelby said, and chuckled as she heard the boy immediately relay her message to his sister. "Is Mommy there? I need to talk to her."

"_MOM! Aunt Shel's on the phone!" _Michael yelled, and Shelby had to hold the phone away from her ear for a moment.

"_Shelly? Michael, you can hang up now. Thank you, kiddo,"_ Lauren said as she picked up another phone.

Shelby waited until she heard the click from Michael's phone before speaking. "LuLu," she said, tears beginning to fall.

"_Oh baby girl,"_ Lauren cooed. She knew that her little sister needed to get her emotions out, and she was more than willing to stay on the phone with her until she felt better. _"It's going to be ok. Talk to me whenever you're ready. We've got all night." _

Shelby told her sister everything from the moment she got off the phone with her earlier, until she put Rachel to bed half an hour ago.

Lauren listened patiently while Shelby talked, not daring to interrupt her train of thought. When her sister did finish, Lauren took a breath and said, _"Shel, I think you did everything right. You let Rachel know that her behavior was unacceptable and then explained why, and you took your time to make sure she understood what was in store for her before actually spanking her. You held her afterwards and told her she was loved and forgiven, and let her cuddle with you all night. You are a great mother, Shelly. There isn't anything you need to feel bad about, baby girl." _

"I…I don't regret spanking her, Laur…I really don't. And I asked her if she learned her lesson, and she told me that she did and she knows she needs to ask my permission before she acts…So I really think I got through to her…" Shelby said.

"_Then what's wrong, baby girl?" _

"She begged me not to get rid of her…She was crying and she told me not to get rid of her," Shelby said sadly.

"_But you told her you wouldn't. You told her everything you needed to, Shelly. She knows you won't leave her," _Lauren soothed.

"What if she doesn't though, Lu? She is _terrified_ I'll leave her…she tells me not to leave her every time she gets into trouble. I'd never leave but…I don't know how to calm her fears," Shelby replied, sniffling.

"_I think that will just come with time, Shel. That little girl is hurting. She doesn't understand why her dads left. You said she told you they didn't tell her they loved her much, or even say it when they signed the paperwork. She's confused and adjusting. But you are doing everything right, do you hear me little girl?"_ Lauren said.

"But I—"

"_No Shel, you are a good mother. Just keep doing what you're doing. You are doing fine,"_ Lauren said more firmly.

"How do you know?" Shelby asked in a small voice. Truth was, she was scared that she was going to break her daughter. She was afraid she was going to make a mistake and make things worse for the girl. "What if I screw her up even more?"

"_Because I know you, baby girl. You are the sweetest, most caring person I have ever met. There isn't a mean bone in your body, Shelby Corcoran. And I've seen the way you act around Rachel. You can't possibly screw up. You may make some mistakes, but Shelly…that's part of life. We _all_ make mistakes. It's how we learn and grow. You and Rachel will get through them together. And I'm always here to help. So are Mom and Daddy, and those goons we call our brothers. We're all here for you, baby girl,"_ Lauren said reassuringly.

"But Laur—"

"_And more importantly, I've seen how Rachel acts around you. That little girl loves you. And it sounds to me like you two are getting closer and she's letting her guard down. Goodness, Shel, she snuck out on you to test her boundaries! If that isn't a child who is comfortable in her environment, I don't know what is!" _Lauren continued.

Shelby couldn't help but laugh at her big sister's words. It helped talking it out with her—it always had. Lauren was her rock and had been since they were kids. Eight years Shelby's senior, Lauren had always been there for Shelby to guide and protect her. They never really fought because of their age gap, and Shelby had grown up knowing her big sister was always there for her.

"I love you, LuLu," Shelby said.

"_I love you too, baby girl,"_ Lauren replied. Lauren had called Shelby "baby girl" from the moment her parents had brought her home from the hospital. She was her baby sister, and Lauren had promised the tiny bundle in her mother's arms that she would always be there for her, no matter how old they got. Lauren smiled, glad that she had never broken that promise. And never would.

Shelby yawned. It had been a long day, full of emotions and lots of crying. She was exhausted. She glanced at the clock on her wall and noticed that it was almost ten-thirty. She had been talking to her sister longer than she had thought.

Lauren could hear her baby sister yawn on the other end of the phone and knew she was tired. _"I think you should go to bed, Shel. You've had a long day. Get some rest,"_ she said gently.

"Yeah…and if I know Rachel, she'll be up at the crack of dawn since I put her to bed so early. That girl gets up early even when she goes to bed at midnight," Shelby laughed.

"_All the more reason to get to bed. We can talk tomorrow if you want,"_ Lauren said lightly. _"Goodnight, baby girl. I love you."_

"Love you too," Shelby said, ending the call. She smiled as she returned the phone to its dock and made her way back to her bedroom. Lauren never failed to make her feel better.

Shelby crawled back into bed carefully so as to not disturb Rachel. The girl was still sleeping soundly, sprawled out on her stomach with Henry clutched tightly in her hand. Shelby had to move the girl over some so that she wouldn't be sleeping on the edge of the bed. Rachel never even stirred as she was shifted over. Smiling, Shelby settled down into her spot and slipped an arm around her baby girl before closing her eyes.

**Open Arms * Open Arms * Open Arms**

Rachel started to stir and could hear her mom humming softly. She felt her mother's fingers trailing along her hairline and over her forehead. She was also starting to become aware of a dull ache in her bottom, and the more she woke from her sleepy haze, the more pronounced that ache was becoming.

"Ow," Rachel moaned, quickly rolling onto her stomach. She reached a hand back to rub the sting and sighed sadly. She couldn't believe her butt still hurt. It wasn't anywhere near as bad as it had been the previous day, but she was definitely sore.

"Still sore, little girl?" Shelby asked, laughing softly. She had woken a little after nine and had been rubbing Rachel's head for about fifteen minutes when the girl started to stir. She watched as Rachel stretched and sighed before her face scrunched up in a grimace. Shelby couldn't help but smile when her daughter flipped quickly onto her stomach to relieve the pressure from her bottom. She was reminded of all the times that she had woken with a sore bottom in her own childhood.

"It's not funny, Mommy!" Rachel said, giving her mom a sour expression. "It hurts," she pouted, sticking her bottom lip out.

Shelby couldn't stop the chuckle that escaped. Her girl just looked so cute. She reached a hand over to brush Rachel's hair away from her face. "Aw, my poor baby," Shelby cooed, pulling Rachel close. She lifted Rachel's upper body so the girl was lying against her, her head now resting on Shelby's chest. She trailed her hand down to Rachel's bottom and began to gently rub, hoping to relieve some of her daughter's discomfort.

Rachel hissed at the contact at first, but relaxed after another minute. She wasn't sure what it was about her mother's touch, but it always seemed to calm her no matter what.

"Who'd you learn to spank from? The Incredible Hulk?" Rachel smirked, her eyes sparkling at Shelby mischievously. She had learned about the Hulk and some of the other _Marvel_ characters during her stay at her grandparents' house. Her little cousins, Luke, and twins Robbie and Tyler, had visited for a few hours one day and had convinced Rachel to watch some of their movies with them.

"Perhaps I didn't spank well enough if you're already being so sassy, young lady," Shelby retorted in mock sternness, raising her eyebrow and patting Rachel's bottom gently.

Rachel's impish smile dissolved, immediately replaced with a worried expression. Maybe she shouldn't have joked with her mom so soon. Her mom's raised eyebrow always meant trouble, and the pats hurt a bit and made her squirm uncomfortably.

Thinking back to yesterday, Rachel's stomach fell. It had been a rough day. Rachel hadn't expected to get into trouble, and she _definitely_ hadn't expected to be spanked. Her mom had threatened her a million times, but she never thought her mother would actually ever go through with one of her threats. She had though, and Rachel took her seriously now. The spanking itself had been awful, and Rachel was still feeling its effects this morning. She had cried for ages afterwards, and her mom had held her until she calmed down—she had held her the rest of the day in fact. Rachel wouldn't even let Shelby go five feet without reattaching herself to her mother's hip. Her mother didn't seem to mind one bit. She gave Rachel whatever comfort the girl wanted.

What Rachel actually found to be more painful than even the spanking was her mother saying she was disappointed in her. The look Shelby gave her when Rachel told her she snuck out to go to the park and had taken her credit card…Rachel wasn't sure she'd ever get that image out of her head. Her mom had just looked so…_sad_. She told Rachel over and over again that she was forgiven. Maybe being forgiven didn't mean Rachel wasn't in trouble anymore though…and her mom never said how long she would stay disappointed either. It was now clear to Rachel that not only was her mom still disappointed, but she had also gone and made her angry again. What was _wrong_ with her?

"Are you hungry, little girl?" Shelby asked. "Why don't we get up and make some breakfast. You can help me if you want."

Rachel looked at her mom questioningly. She had expected to be scolded more, but her mother completely changed the topic. Rachel sighed and nodded, thankful to get off so easily. She would have to watch herself the rest of the day, however, so she didn't get into any more trouble.

**Open Arms * Open Arms * Open Arms**

"Hey kiddo, wanna start getting ready for the park? Tom and Josh will be here soon. Do you want to shower?" Shelby said after she and Rachel put their dishes in the dishwasher.

Shelby noticed Rachel had been subdued since crawling out of bed. She wasn't sure why, but she figured the girl just needed time to wake up. She had expected her to be more chipper after Shelby had made her favorite—chocolate chip pancakes—but she had remained quiet all through their meal and hadn't eaten much. She was now hoping taking her to Central Park would cheer her up.

Rachel was surprised at her mother's question. After everything she had done yesterday, her mom still wanted to take her to the park? It didn't make any sense. Honestly, Rachel didn't want to go anywhere near Central Park while her bottom was still sore and yesterday's spanking was so fresh in her mind. She knew she was wrong for what she did yesterday, and she wanted to show her mom that she was sorry. Maybe Shelby was testing her.

"I…I'd rather not go…if that's ok?" Rachel said quietly, not meeting her mom's eyes. She bit her lip and grabbed onto her left shirtsleeve, twisting the fabric around her fingers.

"We don't have to go if you don't want to, sweetheart. Is everything ok?" Shelby said, noticing Rachel twisting her shirt in her hand. She had begun to notice her daughter did that when she was anxious or felt she was in trouble.

"Yes, ma'am. Everything's fine," Rachel replied meekly.

"Rach, what's wrong? I know something is bothering you, sweetie," Shelby prodded gently. She wished her little girl would open up to her easier when she was upset about something. The girl tended to hold things in until she burst.

"I…I'm just sore. And I don't want Tom and Josh to know…you know," Rachel answered, pulling on her shirtsleeve.

Shelby sighed. She understood now. Rachel was clearly feeling a little embarrassed about the spanking yesterday, which was more than understandable. Shelby remembered feeling the same way as a teen. "I'll just call the boys and let them know you and I are just going to do a quiet girls' day here," Shelby said, pulling Rachel in for a hug. She kissed her daughter's head and rubbed her back soothingly.

Rachel melted into her mother's embrace. Her mom hadn't been acting angry since her scolding earlier. She had tried to get Rachel to talk to her during breakfast, but Rachel had remained quiet. She didn't want to do anything to get into trouble again so soon. Rachel was determined to get back in her mother's good graces. She would be the epitome of a well-behaved child in order to make it up to her mom.

"Rach, why don't you go grab the aloe lotion from my bathroom—it's on the counter—while I call Tom and Josh? Grab a pillow and Henry if you want too, and then come back to the living room. After I'm off the phone, I'll rub some lotion on your bottom again and we can find something to watch," Shelby said as she pulled away from her daughter and gave her another kiss.

"Yes, ma'am," said Rachel, making her way to her mother's bedroom.

Shelby watched her go for a moment before retrieving her phone from the coffee table. She called Tom and told him their plans for the day had been cancelled, and asked if he would relay the message to Josh. He had said he would, and told Shelby to have a nice, relaxing day and to call if she needed anything. Smiling, Shelby ended the call just in time for Rachel to come back into the living room, carrying the bottle of lotion, Henry, and a pillow with her.

"Do you want to pick out a movie first, sweetheart, or just find something on tv? I have all of the movie channels so we can see what's on there as well," Shelby said, taking the lotion from her daughter.

"We can just watch something on tv," Rachel replied quietly, allowing her mother to lead her over to the sofa.

Shelby gently took the pillow and Henry from Rachel and placed them on the lounge before carefully pulling Rachel over her lap. Rachel couldn't help but squirm as she was reminded of being in this position the day before. She knew her mom was only going to be rubbing lotion on her like she had last night, but it still made her nervous to be over her mother's knees.

Shelby pushed Rachel's nightshirt out of the way and then gently pulled the girl's underwear down below her bottom. She was relieved to see that the redness had mostly faded, leaving only a slight tinge of pink in its place. She knew from experience that her daughter's bottom was still tender, so she was careful as she applied the lotion. Rachel gasped as the aloe hit her skin and then squirmed a bit as Shelby began rubbing it in.

Shelby used her hand to fan the lotion dry like she had the night before, and then righted Rachel's clothing and helped the girl slide off of her lap. She grabbed the pillow and Henry and scooted over to her favorite spot on the sofa, placing the pillow in her lap as she did so. Rachel immediately took Henry from her mother and stretched out on her stomach. Shelby reached for the remote and turned the tv on while Rachel got comfortable.

"Are you feeling a little better now, baby?" Shelby asked, rubbing soothing circles on Rachel's back.

"Yes, ma'am," Rachel replied quietly.

Shelby frowned. "Rach? What's with all the yes ma'ams?" she asked, concerned.

Rachel raised her head a bit so she could look up into her mother's face. It always amazed her whenever she saw her mother look at her with such concern, like she was doing right now. She never saw that look on either of her father's faces. Rachel also saw kindness and love—it emanated from her mother in waves that sometimes overwhelmed her. It was confusing. Rachel wanted nothing more than her mother's love. She wanted her approval too. She wanted to please her mother…and she hadn't really been doing a good job of that recently. Again the image of Shelby's disappointed face washed over Rachel and the girl dropped her gaze in shame.

"I…You asked me a question. I was just answering," Rachel replied, holding Henry closer to her.

"Baby…I don't expect you to answer that way unless you're in trouble," Shelby said softly, running a hand over Rachel's hair.

"But I—" Rachel began when the phone rang.

Shelby sighed. "Hold that thought, baby," she said, gently moving out from under Rachel and going to grab the phone.

Rachel watched as her mom answered the phone and then started talking. It was Jackie, her mother's publicist. Rachel noticed her mom's face quickly went from confusion to anger.

"Rachel, find something on tv, baby. I'll be right back," Shelby said as she walked towards her office.

Rachel sighed and began flipping through the channels as she heard the door shut with a click.

Commercial. Commercial. Commercial. Rachel huffed. All these channels and a commercial was on every one!

She finally found a channel in the upper hundreds that was playing an entertainment news special. What caught her interest was the fact that the man on the screen had said something about Broadway. And then of course it went to commercial. But Rachel wanted to see what the story was going to be, so she sat through what felt like fifty commercials.

"_For those of you that follow the Broadway buzz, you know that Shelby Corcoran—star of _Wicked_—was recently reunited with teenage daughter, Rachel Corcoran_," the host said, and Rachel propped head up on her elbows.

"_It's a tale straight out of storybooks, or so they'd have you believe. Corcoran announced her retirement last week, and had her last show this past Saturday. She claims it was to be closer to her daughter so she can give the girl a normal childhood. But is that really the case? Sources say things aren't all sunshine and daisies in the Corcoran household_."

Rachel's heart began beating very quickly. A small voice in the back of her head told her to change the channel so she wouldn't have to hear any lies, but she didn't listen to it because a bigger voice was telling her that what the show's host was saying could be true. Wasn't she already worried that her life with her mother was in danger of disappearing, and that she would eventually do something to make her leave as well?

"_Corcoran would have us believe that daughter Rachel is an angel. According to those who have known the Berry family, Rachel is anything but. Sources say that the Berry men had finally had enough of Rachel's grating issues and pushed her off on mom Shelby. So how is Shelby _really _handling this situation? Her publicist would have you think she's doing well—she's had daughter Rachel sing with her a few times on stage—but when the spotlights turn off, Shelby is clearly struggling to keep an out of control Rachel in line and _may_ even be starting to regret taking in the kid she gave up almost fifteen years ago. Reports just yesterday surfaced that there was an incident at Corcoran's Manhattan home that required police assistance._"

Rachel couldn't help the tears that formed as the host continued his segment. Was that really how Shelby viewed her? Was she so unlovable and annoying that her dads would do anything to be done with her? And was her mother struggling with her? She knew her mom was really angry with her right now because of yesterday.

Yesterday. The incident at the apartment…Shelby had called the police. This was all Rachel's fault. If she had just stayed in the house like she was supposed to, none of this would have happened. She ruined everything. Rachel let a sob escape.

"Sorry for making you wait, baby, I—"

Rachel looked up when her mom came into the room and stopped in her tracks when she saw what was on the tv. Her face turned hard.

"Turn that off!" Shelby yelled, making her way over to the sofa. She grabbed the remote from her daughter and quickly turned the tv off.

Rachel jumped when her mom yelled and then yanked the remote from her hand. She looked so angry. Rachel cried harder and ran with Henry towards the bedroom. She couldn't bear to look into her mom's angry face right now.

"Rachel!" Shelby called, her heart breaking for her little girl. Jackie had already told her about all of the tabloid stories out about mother and daughter, but Shelby was hoping to get to sit down and talk with Rachel to prepare her before she saw anything. But already she was too late.

Rachel slammed the door shut and then flew into the bed, quickly burrowing under the covers with Henry. She drew her knees up to her chest, held Henry close to her face and cried into his fuzzy mane.

"Rachel baby," Shelby said gently as she came into the room. Her heart sunk when she saw the little lump under the covers and heard her daughter's heart wrenching sobs. She made her way over to the bed and carefully climbed onto it. Pulling the covers down, she unearthed her upset daughter. "Oh baby," she soothed, maneuvering herself so she was lying down next to her girl.

Rachel buried her head in her mother's chest as soon as she scooted close enough to her. She knew her mom was angry, but she wanted her comfort. She had comforted her yesterday before spanking her, so Rachel figured she'd comfort her again today before yelling at her.

Shelby wrapped her arms around her little girl and pulled her close. She knew normally patting Rachel's bottom would calm the girl, but she didn't want to do that when the girl was still sore from her punishment. She settled for gently rubbing as she had this morning and cooing softly in her ear.

"S-s-s-sorry! I'm s-sorry!" Rachel bawled, barely able to breathe.

"What? Rach, you have nothing to apologize for, baby!" Shelby said, trying to get Rachel to lift her head up. The girl just wiggled and tried to get closer to her mother.

"I-it's my f-f-fault!" cried Rachel, her wails going up an octave.

"Rachel, now you listen to me," Shelby said firmly, finally able to tilt Rachel's face up. It was tear-streaked and flushed. "You are _not_ to blame for _any_ of this. Tabloid stories were bound to come out eventually. It isn't your fault, baby," she said, making eye contact with Rachel.

"B-but it _is_ m-my fault! I-I went out yesterday a-and the cops c-c-came! T-they said m-my dads were sick of me and w-wanted to get rid of me and you're s-stuck with me but don't want me e-either! And I m-made you mad! Now I j-just made it w-worse!" Rachel sobbed.

"Those are all lies, Rach. I promise. And I _do_ want you, baby—I've told you that. There isn't anyone I love more on this earth, Rachel Barbra Corcoran," Shelby said firmly. "There is one truth though," she added.

Rachel cried more at hearing her mom say there was a truth to what she had heard on the entertainment show. She knew this was all too good to be true!

"You _are_ stuck with me, whether you like it or not!" Shelby said, brushing Rachel's hair out of her face. "Now stop crying, you're going to make yourself sick!"

"But you're mad at me!" Rachel sobbed, wiping at her face with the back of her hand.

"I'm not mad at you, sweetheart," Shelby soothed. "Why do you think I'm mad?"

"I made y-you mad this morning! Y-you said you didn't s-spank me enough because I was s-sassy. But Mommy, I didn't m-mean to b-be! And you're s-still mad from yesterday! And d-d-disappointed!" bawled Rachel, her body shaking from her sobs.

"Oh Rachel," Shelby soothed, holding Rachel tighter. "Is that why you've been so distant today? And why you've been calling me ma'am? Sweetheart, I'm not mad at you!"

"B-but you—"

"Shhh, calm down. I want you to listen to me carefully when I tell you this. No more crying, shhh," Shelby said.

Shelby went back to rubbing Rachel's bottom and back and began to sing to her softly—anything to get her girl to calm down. She was glad when after another five minutes or so, Rachel's tears were slowing and she began to hiccup.

"Rach, I'm going to go get a washcloth so we can clean your face up some. Then we'll talk about everything, I promise," Shelby said, kissing her daughter's sweaty head. She gently disentangled herself from the girl and scooted off the bed. "Here, blow your nose, baby," she added, handing the girl a few tissues.

"Mommy?" Rachel said, wiping her nose on the back of her hand. Shelby grimaced. She _just_ gave the child tissues!

"Yes, baby?"

"I'm sorry," Rachel mumbled, again wiping her nose on her hand.

"There's nothing to be sorry for, Rach," Shelby said, kissing her daughter's head once more. "Use the tissues," she added gently before heading to the bathroom to get the washcloth.

Shelby returned a moment later to find that Rachel had indeed used the tissues to blow her nose—thank goodness! She was propped up against the headboard, placing most of her weight on her hip and side. Shelby crawled back in bed and began to gently wash Rachel's face from tears and snot. She then made sure to wipe off the girl's hands before throwing the washcloth towards the hamper in the corner.

Rachel sat still and let her mother clean her face and hands. She kept her eyes downcast as much as she could, but she couldn't help but notice the look of concern in her mother's eyes. It was the same look she had given her earlier when she asked why Rachel kept calling her ma'am.

"Alright, baby girl," Shelby said, leaning against the headboard and pulling Rachel into her arms. "Let's talk."

"Mommy, I—"

"Shhh. I'm going to talk. You just listen carefully," Shelby said gently. "First off, everything you heard on that show is a lie. Jackie called to tell me that the tabloids had started writing stories. I was expecting it, but I didn't realize it would happen today. And I didn't expect for you to find out the way you did, sweetheart. I'm so sorry you did. I don't want you to listen to a word they said, ok? It's not true."

"But I…I've been worried about everything," Rachel mumbled.

"Oh honey, why didn't you tell me?" Shelby asked, swaying side to side gently.

"I didn't know how! I d-don't want you to leave!" said Rachel in a broken voice. Tears were beginning to pool in her eyes again.

"Shhh. I'm never leaving, Rachel. Ever," Shelby soothed.

"You will!" Rachel argued. She was hurting and the words from the entertainment show were echoing in her head over and over. Everything she had been thinking and worrying about was said on that show.

"I'll tell you every day that I'm not going anywhere, if that's what it takes to get you to believe me, young lady," Shelby said firmly, running her hand over Rachel's head to brush the girl's hair back.

"Mommy, I..I'm sorry I—"

"Rachel, there really isn't anything you need to apologize for, sweetie. You need to tell me when you're upset or worried about something though, ok? I can't read your mind, baby. And if I had known you were upset this morning, I'd have talked to you right away," Shelby said, kissing Rachel's head.

"Mommy—"

"Hush and just listen, Rach," Shelby said gently. "I was never mad at you, Rachel—not even yesterday. And I certainly wasn't mad at you this morning. I was joking with you about not spanking you enough—I thought you knew that. I thought your joke was funny. I was just playing with you. I'm sorry I worried you."

"But you raised your eyebrow! You always do that when I'm in trouble!" Rachel argued.

"Oh Rach—"

"And you hit me!" the girl added, becoming more upset.

"Sweetheart, I was only joking. And I just patted your bottom, like I do all the time. I didn't mean for you to think I was angry with you," Shelby soothed.

"It hurt some," Rachel pouted.

"I'm sorry, baby. I didn't mean to hurt you. And I never want to upset you like that. If something like that happens again and you're confused, tell me. Can you promise me that?" Shelby said gently.

"Mom, I…It's hard. I…I'm scared," Rachel said softly, scooting down so she could rest her head against her mother's chest. She always liked to listen to her mother's heartbeat. It was soothing for her.

"I know, baby. We'll work on it, ok? Will you at least try to tell me when something is bothering you? Please? It breaks my heart when you're hurting and I can't help you," Shelby said.

Rachel looked up at her mom and felt a few tears make their way down her cheeks. She didn't want to hurt her mom ever. "Yes Mommy, I promise!" she cried out.

"Oh Rach, don't cry. No more tears," Shelby said softly, brushing away Rachel's tears with her fingers.

"You really aren't mad?" Rachel questioned, looking into her mom's kind eyes.

"I'm really not mad, baby. I promise," Shelby said immediately, placing a kiss to her daughter's forehead again. "Rach? Can I ask you a question?" she added.

"Yeah," murmured Rachel, snuggling closer to her mom. She took a deep breath and was comforted by her mother's scent.

"Why did you think I was still upset with you about yesterday? We talked about everything yesterday and you said you understood you were forgiven," said Shelby.

"I…I know I was forgiven, Mom. But you…you said you were disappointed in me. You never said how long you'd stay disappointed," Rachel said, grabbing onto the hem of her mother's shirt and playing with it.

"Oh Rach," Shelby said for what felt like the millionth time. "I shouldn't have said that. I was disappointed by your behavior, but not _you_. But that's all over and done with, sweetie. You were punished for it, and it's done. Is that why you didn't want to go to the park today as well? The real reason?"

Rachel sighed and nodded. The small voice in her head told her that her mother really did understand her and her feelings when she just talked to her. So why was she so afraid of talking to her about her fears? When she talked, her mom always reassured her and calmed her fears. It was that stupid other voice that would tell Rachel to keep quiet. Rachel thought she was going to have to start trying to ignore that voice…though she felt that would be easier said than done.

"Well then, little girl, I plan on taking you to the park tomorrow," said Shelby with a smile that Rachel returned shyly.

"What about the tabloids?" Rachel asked.

"They'll die down eventually. I don't want you listening to anymore of that trash though, ok?" Shelby said.

"You yelled at me," Rachel said, hanging her head.

"Baby, I wasn't yelling at you. I did yell, but only because I was upset about the tabloids and I didn't want you to see any of it before I had a chance to talk to you. I didn't mean to yell or make you think I was angry with you," said Shelby.

Rachel only nodded her head. She was feeling better now—relieved. She wished she could feel this way all the time and not worry, but her worries always seem to come back. And they always seemed to be the same—she was afraid that her mother would leave her.

"Mommy?" Rachel asked timidly.

"Yes, baby?"

"Are you…will you, I mean…does it bother you?" Rachel asked.

"Does what bother me, sweetheart?" Shelby asked, resting her cheek against Rachel's head and breathing in her scent. There was something about the way her little girl smelled that made her so happy.

"Me always worrying about you leaving," Rachel said in barely more than a whisper.

"Of course it doesn't bother me, Rachel. I know it's going to take time before your fears go away. And hey, that's ok. I understand and am here through it all," said Shelby, leaning back so she could look her daughter in her eyes when she spoke. "You never have to worry that I'll leave, and I'll keep telling you that until you don't."

"Mommy?"

"Hmm?"

"Will you scratch my back?" asked Rachel, looking up at her mom with sad eyes.

"Yes, baby," Shelby replied, smiling. She scooted back and helped Rachel get comfortable on her stomach. Once her girl was settled, Shelby lifted her shirt and gently began running her nails over her skin.

Rachel took a deep breath and relaxed into the mattress. All her crying had worn her out and she was feeling very sleepy. Her mother's soft touch helped calm her even more. She soon found her eyes drooping sleepily.

Shelby scratched her daughter's back gently long after the girl drifted off to sleep. She was glad they had had that talk, and was hoping that Rachel would feel more secure now. She knew it was going to be quite a while until the girl felt completely comfortable and wasn't constantly worried Shelby would leave. Until that time came, Shelby would do whatever she could to make Rachel feel at ease.

Sighing, Shelby gently pulled Rachel's shirt down and slipped out of bed. She took a moment to fix the blankets and cover Rachel so she wouldn't get cold. She then lifted her daughter's left hand and tucked Henry close to her, leaning in to kiss her forehead before standing and making her way quietly from the room.

**Open Arms * Open Arms * Open Arms**

Shelby was busy making breakfast Tuesday morning. It was nine-thirty and she had gotten up around eight this morning—she and Rachel had gone to bed early again the night before. Shelby pulled the banana-nut muffins from the oven and set them on the stove to cool. She'd have to start getting Rachel up in a few minutes so they could watch _Live with Regis and Kelly_—their interview was airing today. Shelby didn't normally watch her interviews on tv, but she thought Rachel would enjoy it, and after all of the drama from yesterday, Shelby wanted nothing more than to see her little girl smile.

At quarter to ten, Shelby found herself trying in vain to wake her daughter. Normally the girl was easy to wake, but today she was being stubborn. _Of course_, Shelby thought to herself.

"Rachel, wake up, baby," Shelby said, shaking Rachel's shoulder.

Rachel groaned and rolled over onto her stomach, pulling the covers over her head. "Mommy, leave me alone," she whined, her voice muffled by her pillow.

"_Regis and Kelly_ will be on in fifteen minutes! You don't want to miss that, do you?" Shelby said, grabbing hold of the blankets and pulling them back off the girl. "Get up!" she added, swatting the teen's backside gently.

Rachel moaned again, but it wasn't nearly as whiny as before. Shelby decided on a different tactic. "Rachel, get up," she said sweetly, leaning over her child so she could cover her face in kisses.

Rachel opened one eye to look at her mother. "Waddaya doing?" she groaned, unable to keep from smiling. Most teens would probably have been embarrassed for their mom to kiss them like Shelby was now doing to Rachel, but Rachel loved it. She secretly loved when her mom cuddled with her or did silly things. Rachel figured she'd never get tired of her mother's affections.

"Get up, silly! We're on _Regis and Kelly_ this morning! I want you to come watch it with me," Shelby said, patting the girl's bottom.

"Ok Mommy! I'm up," Rachel whined, rolling onto her back again. She rubbed at her eyes with her fists, making her look like a cranky toddler.

"Come on, I made banana-nut muffins so they're nice and warm. Do you want butter on yours?" Shelby said, brushing Rachel's hair out of her face.

"Yeah," Rachel said sleepily.

"Ok," Shelby replied, leaning over to kiss Rachel's forehead once more before standing. She made her way to the door, saying, "Get up, Rachel." She laughed when she heard Rachel huff in response.

There were two plates and two glasses of milk—the star glass for Rachel—sitting on the coffee table when Rachel padded her way into the living room a few minutes later. Shelby had forced her to throw the NYU shirt she was so fond of in the hamper last night, so she slept in a pair of black mesh shorts and a purple _Wicked_ t-shirt Aunt Sasha had gotten for her.

Shelby was just turning on the tv when Rachel plopped down next to her and leaned into her for a moment. She was glad that Rachel was back to her normal self and wasn't walking on eggshells like she had yesterday. After her nap the day before, mother and daughter had an enjoyable day at home, watching movies and even singing together for a bit. Shelby was truly amazed not only at Rachel's voice, but her talent for the piano.

Shelby kissed Rachel's head before leaning forward to grab the plates from the table, handing one to Rachel. Both settled back to eat their breakfast and watch the show. They talked some during the first part of the show, but quieted when Kelly Ripa started to introduce them.

"_She's been playing Elphaba on stage for a little over a year, but now she's got the best role ever—Tony Award-winning actress, Shelby Corcoran! And introducing a future star in her own right, Rachel Corcoran!_" Kelly said as the crowd applauded.

Rachel watched in awe as she saw herself and Shelby on tv. It was an unbelievable feeling. She could remember the day they had taped the segment, but it felt so much different now that she was watching it back as a viewer.

"This is so weird," Rachel said.

"It is," Shelby agreed. She glanced over at her daughter and smiled. The girl was sitting up straighter and was transfixed on the screen.

"_Shelby, Rachel, it's so nice to have you on the show! Life for you two must be crazy right now_," Kelly said as she took her seat after greeting both mother and daughter.

"_Thank you for having us_," Shelby replied.

"Mom, you look really good in that dress!"

"Thank you, baby," Shelby said, pulling Rachel into her arms. Her daughter squirmed a bit because she didn't want to miss a minute of their interview, but she quickly settled down into her mother's embrace.

"_So Shelby, you're retiring from Broadway. What's that feel like? Are you nervous at all?"_ Regis asked, smiling at the woman besides him.

"_Well…it's strange. My whole adult life has centered around Broadway and acting. But I'm excited to start my new chapter with Rachel and see what comes next for us_," said Shelby, holding her hand out for her daughter who latched on immediately.

"_And where are you starting this new chapter? Are you staying in the city?"_ Regis asked.

"_No, we're moving back home. I grew up just outside of Columbus, Ohio, and Rachel goes to school in Lima. I want to give her as normal a childhood as possible. I don't want her spending her teen years in the public's eye being scrutinized for every little thing. Growing up is hard enough with all of that on top of it,"_ Shelby replied.

"_Do you think you'll miss Broadway any?"_ continued Regis.

"_I'm sure I will. I love Broadway…but I love Rachel more. Being Rachel's mom means more to me than any amount of awards or parts on Broadway. I'm happy to retire and live a quiet little life in Ohio with my daughter,"_ Shelby said, almost being drowned out by the cheers from the audience at the end.

"_So Rachel,_ _this must be so exciting for you. What's it like having a famous Broadway star for a mother?_" Kelly asked.

"_I'd imagine it's just like having a teacher or accountant for a mother. She's just…Mom,"_ Rachel replied with a huge smile. The audience laughed and applauded.

"_I don't know, Take Your Daughter to Work Day has to be _so_ much cooler with Shelby as your mom than anyone else. I've heard you've gotten to sing on stage with her after her shows. How was that experience?"_ Kelly continued.

"_Oh well, yeah, _that's_ pretty cool. It was…unbelievable the first night she let me sing with her. I was scared I was going to fall over my feet going up to the stage, but once the music started, I forgot about everything else…It was just me and Mom singing,"_ said Rachel.

"_Sounds like we'll have another Corcoran on Broadway before long,"_ Regis remarked.

"_Oh that's my dream!"_ Rachel squealed. _"I can't wait to be on Broadway—for real, I mean!" _

"_Shelby, have you considered being a mother-daughter team? I think between the two of you, you could take over the world!"_ Regis said, laughing.

On screen Shelby raised her eyebrow at Regis and gave him a withering glare after she had glanced at her daughter and saw the girl's brain working out a way to set that plan into action. _"Not until _after_ she graduates college,"_ Shelby said, turning her raised brow on her daughter. The audience laughed as both Rachel and Regis sank down in their chairs some.

"_Well, with that, I think we're going to take a short break! And when we return, mother and daughter will sing a song from the musical _Wicked_!"_ Kelly said, smiling.

The show cut to commercial and Rachel looked up at her mom and smiled. "I love you, Mom," she said sweetly.

"I love you too, baby," Shelby said, smoothing Rachel's hair down before giving her a kiss.

**Open Arms * Open Arms * Open Arms**

By noon, Shelby and Rachel were on their way to Central Park with Tom and Josh. Shelby was glad to see Rachel was excited about going to the park again—it meant she really was no longer worried about Shelby being angry with her over it—but Shelby did wish the girl would sit still for once during the cab ride. She was having a difficult time trying to keep Rachel in her seat.

Rachel was a ball of energy. She was excited to go to Central Park with her mom and really see it. She didn't really get to see much of it when she snuck out on Sunday because she hadn't wanted to get lost and really be in trouble—not that she hadn't gotten into enough trouble as it was.

Shelby sighed when the cab pulled up at Merchants Gate and the four of them could pile out after Shelby paid the fare. Rachel's mouth opened in awe as she stepped out and looked at the huge monument towering over everything. Tom told her it was the Maine Monument as they waited for Shelby to catch up with them.

"Alright Rach, are you ready? What would you like to see first?" Shelby asked as she came up to stand by her girl. She wrapped her arm around her shoulder and gave her a kiss.

"Everything," Rachel replied, craning her neck everyway she could so as to not miss anything.

"Well how about we just start walking and see what we find? We can always come back tomorrow for more exploring," Shelby laughed as the group made their way into the park.

* * *

**Hi guys! I hope you all enjoyed this chapter! It was a bear to write! I am really happy with how it turned out, but it did _not_ want to be written. I'd love to hear what you all think of it! **

**Next chapter will find Shelby and Rachel back in Ohio as they settle into their new house and life. What are your predictions for things to come? The Corcoran family will be making a return. Any favorite family characters you're hoping to see a return of? **


	8. Settling In

**Hello readers! I know it's been a few weeks since my last update. Real life got in the way. I'm back working at the garden center and looking for a big girl job now that I've graduated. I write as much as I can, but I don't have nearly as much time as I did. I hope the wait is worth it! **

**Enjoy!**

* * *

**Chapter Eight: Settling In**

Shelby was exhausted. It was only eight o'clock at night on Friday but to her, it felt much later. She was sitting on the sofa in her parents' house, surrounded by her family, and all she wanted to do was go to sleep. She wanted Rachel to go to sleep as well because neither of them had gotten more than four or five hours of sleep the night before and had been running around all day doing last minute things. Shelby had to make sure she packed everything she wanted and oversee the movers, all the while keeping an eye on a very hyper Rachel. She had been surprised Rachel was so hyper considering they were leaving New York because she knew how much the girl loved it here, but she could also see she was excited to get home and see her family. In the short amount of time that Shelby had had Rachel and the girl got to spend around all of her cousins, aunts and uncles, and grandparents, it was clear that Rachel thrived under the love and support only a family could give.

Shelby looked over at her daughter who was sitting on the floor propped up against her Aunt Sarah's legs, laughing and eating brownies with Lexi and Haley. They each had a can of soda by them and Rachel was telling her cousins stories of her time in New York while Sarah played with Rachel's hair.

"Bet you're glad to be home, huh?" Lauren said, nudging her little sister sitting next to her.

Shelby looked over at Lauren with a tired expression. "Very," she replied, her eyes drooping.

"Aw Shel, you should go to bed!" Lauren said, throwing her arm around the woman and pulling her close. Shelby rested her head on Lauren's shoulder and felt her sister kiss her head softly.

"I can't go to bed until I get that monster to bed," Shelby replied, pointing to her daughter who wasn't paying any attention to her.

"I'm gonna go grab another brownie. How 'bout you guys?" Haley said, standing and looking at her cousins. Lexi shook her head no but Rachel's eyes got big and she smiled. Haley took that as a yes.

"Rachel, no! No more brownies, you've had enough," Shelby said when she realized what Haley had just asked. There was no way Rachel needed another brownie—she had had enough already.

"Haley, I don't think you need any more either. We're getting ready to go, I think. Aunt Shelby and Rachel have had a long day and I think they both need some rest," Lauren said, giving Shelby another kiss.

"Good idea. Lex, go find your brother and father and tell them we're leaving. Tell the rest of the boys to come up as well," Sarah said, sending her daughter off with a playful pat to her bottom.

Rachel was upset that her cousins and aunts and uncles were leaving so soon. She was hyped up on sugar and wanted them to stay longer, but one look at her mother told her the woman was ready for bed. And it looked like she was going to get sent there right along with her. She didn't want that at all.

"Goodnight Dudette, we'll see you tomorrow," Uncle Jack said as he pulled Rachel in for a hug. He kissed the girl's head before pulling back and ruffling her hair—much to the teen's displeasure.

"Bye Rach, we can plan our sleepover weekend more later!" Lexi said as she hugged her cousin.

Rachel beamed at the idea of planning a sleepover. Aunt Sarah had asked her mother at dinner if she wouldn't mind Lexi staying with her and Rachel in a few weeks while her and Uncle Jack took JJ to a college open house. It was a weekend event and Lexi couldn't stay home alone that long. Shelby had of course said yes, and Rachel and Lexi had been coming up with plans ever since.

Rachel and Shelby said goodbye to the rest of the family before Shelby slumped back down onto the sofa with a huge sigh. Rachel thought about jumping on her mom to get her to wake up.

"Rachel, help me clean up these dishes," Diane said when she noticed the mischievous glint in her granddaughter's eye.

"Ok Nana," Rachel sighed, leaving her mother be so she could do as her grandmother said.

"I'm happy you're home, Rach," Diane said as she began loading the dishwasher with dishes from dinner.

"Me too, Nana. I've missed you guys," Rachel said with a smile.

"We've missed you too, honey," Diane replied, pulling her granddaughter in for a hug and kiss. "Are you excited to be moving into the house? You know we all are going over tomorrow and Sunday to help move things in. I think your mom and you are going to go shopping for some furniture. That should be fun."

Rachel sighed and rested her head on Nana's shoulder. She liked being hugged by her grandmother. She had originally been a bit intimidated by the woman because of all the stories her uncles had told her about Nana's slipper, but Rachel had soon learned that Nana was a pretty big softie—at least when it came to her.

Diane pulled away and brushed Rachel's hair out of her face and planted a kiss to the child's forehead. She smiled down at her warmly.

"I guess so…I mean, I really love the house. It's just…" said Rachel, trailing off. She wasn't sure if she should tell her grandmother about Quinn. She would probably tell her mother and Rachel didn't want Shelby to know.

"Just what, honey?" Diane asked, noticing the uneasy look that passed across Rachel's face.

"Nothing," said Rachel, shaking her head and sighing. She went to leave the kitchen when her grandmother reached out to touch her arm.

"Rach?" the woman said, concerned.

"It really is nothing, Nana. I guess I'm just a little nervous about moving into a new house. I…I've only ever lived in the one with…well, you know," said Rachel, giving her Nana a sad smile.

"Things will turn out for the better, Rachel. You mother loves you so much, do you know that?" Diane asked.

"Yes, Nana," Rachel said immediately, looking up into the older woman's blue eyes.

"PopPop and I love you too, honey. So does everyone else. You're home now," Diane said, smiling warmly at the little girl.

"I know, Nana," Rachel replied, nodding.

"Why don't you grab a brownie and go sit down in the living room? I'll be there in a minute and we can look through some photo albums, what do you say?" Diane asked.

"Ok Nana, thanks!" Rachel said happily, running into to the dining room where the brownies were sitting on the table. She snatched a napkin and cut herself a large piece before heading back towards the living room.

Shelby looked up when she heard running down the hallway. She saw Rachel bound back into the room holding a brownie in a napkin and she immediately stood up, her hands finding their way to her hips instantaneously.

"Rachel, I told you no more sweets! Give me that," Shelby scolded, holding her hand out for the brownie her daughter had clutched in her hand.

"Nana said I could have it!" Rachel pouted, keeping her treat out of reach of her mother.

"And I already told you no. Give me it. Now," Shelby said firmly.

"Mom!" Rachel whined when her mother reached for her.

"Rachel, you've had enough sweets for today! You're going to rot your teeth!" Shelby said.

"Oh Shelby, let her have the brownie!" Diane interrupted as she came into the room. She winked at Rachel who smiled at her and squirmed out of her mother's grasp.

"Rachel, I'm not playing with you. You've had about five brownies as it is and I don't know how many sodas! That's enough," Shelby said, exasperated.

Rachel shook her head and pouted. She relented when Shelby raised her eyebrow and gave her _the look_, but not before taking a huge bite from the gooey brownie. Smirking, she handed the rest of the treat over to her mother who scowled at her.

Shelby took the brownie and set it on the coffee table before rounding on her child again. Rachel was giving her an innocent look as she chewed her contraband treat. "That's it for the night, Rachel. No more—I mean it," Shelby warned, wagging her finger at her girl.

Rachel nodded, hugging her mom. She figured buttering her up some would be a good idea. "I love you, Mommy," she said sweetly.

"I love you too, brat," Shelby said, kissing Rachel's head. "Now go change into your pajamas. And brush your teeth!" she added, sending Rachel off with a light swat.

"Mom, would you stop giving her sweets? It's hard enough to keep her from bouncing off the walls without the added sugar," Shelby said as soon as she was alone with her mother.

"I'm just making up for lost time, Shel," Diane said sweetly.

"Could you not do it with sugar? I want her to go to bed soon," Shelby whined.

"Oh Shelby, relax. It's summer," Diane replied, laughing.

"What happened to you telling me I needed to be her mother and not her friend?" Shelby asked with a smirk.

"Oh believe me, sweetheart, you're doing just that! You're doing wonderfully with her, Shel. I'm very proud of you, sweetheart," Diane replied, kissing her daughter on her cheek. "I can tell you're both settling into your life together perfectly. That little girl adores you."

"Thanks, Mom. That means a lot to hear you say that," Shelby said, smiling.

Diane pulled her daughter in for a hug. She was just releasing her when Rachel came bounding back into the room, practically shaking with pent up energy.

"Mom! Are you going to look through photo albums with me and Nana?" Rachel asked excitedly, bouncing over to her mother and grandmother with a huge smile on her face.

"For a little bit, Rach, but you need to start settling down. You've been hyper all day and it's almost time for bed," Shelby replied gently but firmly.

"But Mommy, it's not even eight-thirty!" Rachel whined, her foot stomping lightly on the plush carpet.

"Rachel, if you start a tantrum, I'll send you to bed now," Shelby warned, leveling Rachel with a stern look. She could tell her daughter was trying to weigh her options and figure out whether or not she was bluffing. Shelby most certainly wasn't, and her little girl would be in for a rude awakening if she decided to push it.

Rachel pouted but kept her mouth shut. It wasn't fair though. It was only eight-twenty at night and she wasn't even tired! Why did she have to go to bed soon? And how soon was "soon"?

Shelby let out a sigh of relief. She was tired and it was making her a little cranky. She wasn't nearly as patient with Rachel as she normally would be, and she knew that. But the child had been bouncing off the walls all day and everything Shelby said seemed to go in one ear and out the other. There was only so much patience, and Rachel had long ago exhausted Shelby's supply today.

Diane just smiled. It was entertaining to see her daughter and granddaughter interact like this. Shelby was really starting to step up and was becoming comfortable in her role as mother. And Rachel was clearly comfortable with Shelby. This little girl pouting in front of her was a completely different girl from the shy, nervous, and sometimes sullen child that had stayed with them two weeks ago. Now Rachel's personality was starting to come out, and Diane was reminded of a young Shelby. Rachel was dramatic—oh my, was she dramatic—but her heart was pure and so big for one so small, especially after all she had been through. Diane was amazed by Rachel's kindness, and her heart swelled for this little girl that had only just come into their lives after so many years apart.

"Come here, Rach," Shelby sighed, opening her arms for her girl. She wanted nothing more than for Rachel to cuddle with her and settle down. It had been a long day for both of them and they both needed to regroup.

Rachel's pout deepened and she crossed her arms across her chest. She didn't really want to go over to her mother right now. Her mom had been scolding her all day for one thing or another and it just wasn't fair!

"Rachel, don't be rude," Diane told the petulant teen. She was answered with a huff and eye roll. Diane simply shook her head and sent the girl towards her mother with a firm swat to her bottom.

Rachel scowled at her grandmother, but made sure she did so once she was out of swatting range. She stepped into her mother's waiting arms and let the woman engulf her in a warm hug. After a few seconds, Rachel wrapped her left arm around her mother, but her right was busy rubbing the sting from her cheek. Rachel now understood where her mother had learned to spank—Nana.

**Open Arms * Open Arms * Open Arms**

Rachel lay awake in bed later that night, unable to get to sleep. She had been tossing and turning ever since her mother tucked her in at ten o'clock. She hadn't really been tired, but Rachel conceded when her mother scolded her for what must have been the thousandth time that night. Rachel knew it had been a long day and she had clearly pushed her mom to her limit, so she had crawled into bed and let Shelby kiss her goodnight without a word.

It was now almost one-thirty in the morning and Rachel was feeling a little anxious. She wasn't used to sleeping without her mother right there besides her, and it felt odd to be doing so now. She wanted to get up and tiptoe to her mother's room, but she wasn't sure if her mom would be angry for waking her up and asking if she could sleep with her considering the day they had. And she didn't want to seem like a baby.

Sighing, Rachel flung the covers off of herself and got out of bed. She made her way quietly downstairs, figuring she'd get a glass of water and maybe watch some tv until she was tired enough to fall asleep.

Rachel was just making her way into the dining room when she noticed the kitchen light was on and she could hear someone shuffling around. Panicking, Rachel tried to back out of the room again to return to bed, but she somehow managed to trip over a chair and went tumbling to the ground.

"Ouch!" she hissed, rubbing at her hip. She had landed hard on her side, and it was throbbing. Rachel could feel a few tears well in her eyes.

Rachel felt hands grab her and help her up a moment later. She looked up into the concerned face of her grandfather and could feel her stomach drop. Surely she was going to be scolded for being out of bed so late.

"Rachel! Are you alright?" John asked, rushing to the girl's side. He had heard someone fall and cry out, and had come rushing to see who was hurt. "Are you hurt anywhere?" John continued, quickly flicking on the dining room light so he could have a better look at his grandchild. He immediately inspected her arms and legs for any sign of injury before noticing she was favoring her left side.

"PopPop! I-I…I'm sorry! Don't be mad!" she stammered, her heart beating fast inside her chest. She winced when her grandfather went to lift her shirt a bit so he could look at her side.

"What? Why would I be mad at you, sweetheart?" John asked, thoroughly confused. The child had tripped and hurt herself. It was an accident. Why on earth would she think he was mad at her for that?

"I…I'm not in bed," Rachel said softly, stealing a glance at her PopPop as he prodded her side. He didn't look angry at all, just concerned.

"Well neither am I, munchkin," John replied with a chuckle.

"Ow! Don't touch it!" Rachel whined, wiggling away from his fingers.

"I'm sorry, munchkin. Let's get you some ice for that," John said gently, letting Rachel's shirt fall back into place. The girl's hip was red and he was sure it stung, but she would be fine in a little while. The rest of his grandkids always wanted ice when they hurt themselves, and he figured Rachel would be the same. He leaned down to kiss his granddaughter's forehead before grabbing her hand and leading her into the kitchen.

"How about some hot chocolate, Rach? I was just making myself some when you came down," John said as he pulled out a stool from the counter and motioned for Rachel to sit down. Rachel did as instructed and watched while her grandfather shuffled around getting her a bag of ice. She took the bag of ice and dishtowel he offered her quietly and held it in her hands. "Put the ice on your hip—it'll take the sting away faster," he added.

Rachel did as she was told and was relieved when her PopPop was right. She watched contently as he went about making their hot chocolate, knowing that she wasn't in any trouble and she was getting a treat out of it too!

John got two steaming mugs of hot chocolate complete with whipped cream on top and told Rachel to come with him. He led her into the living room, flicking the switch as he went. He placed the mugs on the table besides his favorite recliner and sat down.

"Come here, munchkin," he said gently, patting his lap.

Rachel frowned slightly and considered her grandfather. She loved him. He was a very sweet man, and he reminded Rachel a lot of her mother. Until meeting her family, Rachel had never received a lot of open love from male relatives. Her fathers certainly weren't ones to cuddle—at least not after she got older. She could remember sitting on their laps when she was very young…but she actually wasn't sure if those were memories or she just created them in her head. But PopPop always hugged and kissed her, and even her uncles Jack, Ben, and Todd hugged her often. It was all very strange for Rachel, but at the same time, she thought she could get used to it.

After a few seconds, Rachel relented and went to climb onto her PopPop's lap. John wrapped his arms around the tiny girl and kissed her head. Rachel wiggled around until she was comfortable and John helped her place the bag of ice wrapped in a dishtowel on her hip before reaching for the mugs. He handed one to Rachel before taking a sip of his own.

"The ice helping any, munchkin?" he asked.

"Yeah…thanks," Rachel replied after she took a long sip from her mug.

John smiled and pointed to Rachel's face because she had a whipped cream mustache. He watched as the girl quickly licked her lips clean and smile sheepishly.

"PopPop?"

"Hmm?"

"Why do you keep calling me munchkin? Is it because I'm so short?" Rachel asked, pouting slightly.

"Not at all, Rachel! I called your mother munchkin growing up, and you are so much like your mom, kiddo. It seemed to fit," John replied, rubbing Rachel's arm. The girl just smiled at him.

Rachel sighed and drank her hot chocolate in silence. John was content sitting quietly as he drank from his own mug. He could see Rachel's gears turning inside her head, but he didn't want to push her. She was so much like Shelly, and he had found with her that if he sat quiet long enough, she would open up to him on her own. He had a feeling Rachel would be the exact same way.

John set his and Rachel's mugs back on the table when they were both finished and let the girl relax into his chest. He could tell she was starting to let her guard down; he could feel her muscles relaxing against him as she yawned deeply.

"Getting tired, sweetheart?" John asked gently, running his hand over Rachel's hair softly.

"I'm not tired," Rachel said quietly, nestling her head in the crook of the man's neck. She liked how he smelled—it was musky and earthy, with a hint of peppermint.

"All your yawning would say otherwise," he chuckled as Rachel tried to stifle another yawn.

Rachel would have pouted, but the gentle vibrations of her PopPop's laughter soothed her and she closed her eyes. "I can't sleep," she said, snuggling closer to her PopPop.

"Well then, you just sit here with me for a bit and we'll see if we can't fix that," John whispered as he began to run his fingers through Rachel's soft hair.

Rachel sighed and yawned again. She liked that her PopPop was rubbing her head and playing with her hair. It was very relaxing. And she really was tired, but it was true she couldn't sleep. "I want to sleep with Mommy," she mumbled, rubbing at her eye with her fingers.

John looked down at his young granddaughter and smiled, imagining her as a toddler. She looked so much like a young child now that it wasn't hard at all for him to picture. "C'mon Rach, I'll put you to bed with Mommy," he cooed softly. He knew the girl was going to be asleep in a matter of minutes, and it was best if he got her back to bed now.

"No, I can't!" Rachel whined, shifting on John's lap. The bag of ice fell from her hip onto the floor.

"Of course you can, munchkin," replied John, trying to get the girl to stand up. She was stubborn—just like her mother.

"It might make her mad," said Rachel, opening her eyes enough so that she could look into her grandfather's face.

"Your mother wouldn't be upset with you if you wanted to sleep with her, Rach," said John kindly.

"Uh huh! She was already mad at me tonight…I wasn't being very good today," Rachel replied, blushing in shame. She couldn't meet her grandfather's eyes any longer.

"I promise you, Rach, your mom won't hold that against you. She loves you. And if it'll make you feel better to sleep with her—"

"PopPop, I can't! Besides…I'm not a baby," Rachel whined. John tried to hide his smile—Rachel would always be a baby in her mother's eyes, just as John's own children were still his babies.

"It doesn't make you a baby for wanting your mother, munchkin," John said, going back to rubbing Rachel's head gently.

Shelby watched from the shadows in the hallway. She really wasn't intending to eavesdrop, but when she heard what her father and daughter were talking about, she just couldn't bring herself to interrupt them.

Shelby had been tossing and turning all night as well. She was exhausted, but she couldn't seem to get to sleep and stay asleep, no matter what she did. It felt strange to be sleeping without her daughter right next to her. By two, she decided to get out of bed and check on Rachel. Maybe she would even crawl in bed with her. She crept down the hallway and tiptoed into the room her daughter was in, only to find the bed empty. Shelby had finally crept downstairs to find her father and daughter cuddling in a chair. It hurt to hear her baby tell her grandfather that she was afraid Shelby would be mad at her for wanting to sleep with her or that wanting that made her a baby. She wanted nothing more than to rush into the room and gather Rachel in her arms, but she really didn't want to ruin the moment she was having with her grandfather.

John soothed Rachel until she was dozing lightly in his arms. She was so tiny, he could probably carry her up to bed without much issue. He was in no real hurry though—he liked being able to hold the child close.

"Daddy? Is she asleep?" Shelby whispered, walking silently into the room. She smiled at her child tucked in her father's arms, sleeping peacefully.

"What are you doing up?" John whispered.

"I couldn't sleep either…It's strange not having Rachel in bed with me. I went to check on her and she wasn't there. So I came down here," Shelby replied, maneuvering herself onto the armrest and leaning against her father like she had so many times as a child. "She's perfect…My perfect little girl," she whispered as she looked down at her slumbering child.

"She is perfect—just like her mother," John agreed, staring into the hazel eyes of his youngest. Out of all of his children, only Shelby had inherited his hazel eyes; the three older children all had blue eyes like their mother.

"I'm nowhere near perfect, Daddy," Shelby said sadly. "I'm so afraid of screwing her up. Already my kid thinks she can't climb in bed with me when she needs to."

"You are a good mother, Shelby. This is a difficult situation, but you are doing wonderfully. It's going to take some time for you and Rachel to adjust. She's confused right now. There's a learning curve for both of you, but you're doing everything you possibly can, Shelly. Don't be so hard on yourself," said John, his eyes never leaving his daughter's.

Shelby could feel her tears building, but she didn't want to cry and risk waking Rachel. She wiped at her eyes and sniffed a few times, getting it under control. "I love you, Daddy," she whispered.

"I love you too, Shelly," John replied. "I think it's time we all get back to bed. It's getting late," he added as his shifted Rachel in his arms.

"Rach, wake up baby," Shelby cooed, running her fingers along Rachel's cheek. "C'mon sweetie, it's time to go back to bed."

Rachel moaned and tried to brush away whatever was tickling her face. "Go…Leave me alone," she mumbled, shaking her head slightly. She was tired, why was she being bothered?

Shelby looked at her dad and shook her head. "C'mon baby, up you get," she said as she pulled Rachel to her feet. She had to pull the girl close and was practically carrying her towards the hallway and the stairs.

"Goodnight girls," John said as he followed them with the mugs and bag of ice. He would put the mugs in the sink and dump the ice before returning to bed himself.

Shelby made short work of getting Rachel back upstairs. She steered her towards the nearest guestroom, which was the one that Rachel had been staying in anyway. Rachel fell into bed without any prompting and snuggled into the pillow. Shelby adjusted the blankets and found Henry near the end of the bed. She tucked the stuffed animal in her daughter's arms before crawling into bed next to her. They would both sleep better together. She pulled Rachel close as she pulled the covers over the both of them. Shelby knew they'd have to get used to sleeping in their own beds, but for right now, she was content with the way things were.

**Open Arms * Open Arms * Open Arms**

The next week was a blur for Shelby. She was tired of furniture stores and tired of signing her name to receipt after receipt. She bought sofas, chairs, tables, and lamps for the living room, basement, and sunroom. Those all arrived on Monday and were quickly placed in their designated spots. Bedroom furniture for all three bedrooms arrived on Tuesday and Wednesday. On Thursday, the dining set and barstools for the kitchen arrived, along with the large appliances. By Friday, Shelby and Rachel were able to stay their first night at the house. The family had been coming over in shifts to help mother and daughter unpack their clothes and other belongings, and the house really was starting to look—and feel—like a home.

In between shopping for the house, Shelby had taken Rachel on other important errands as well, like buying a car. After much of Jack's help on the issue, Shelby decided on a black Honda CR-V. It was a perfect size for Rachel and her, was reasonably priced, and Shelby liked how it felt when she test-drove it. Rachel had asked if she could test it out as well, but Shelby simply kissed her head and gave a small laugh, telling her they'd revisit the question when Rachel was older—like, thirty. Rachel had grumbled but cheered up once Shelby said their next stop would be to the phone store to get Rachel a new iPhone set up on Shelby's plan.

Saturday marked the day that Shelby and Rachel finally met their next-door neighbors. First there was an elderly couple, Mr. and Mrs. Richmond, who brought over an apple pie for mother and daughter. They had told Shelby they had seen her in an off-Broadway play early in her career and had loved her in it, and that if she or Rachel ever needed anything at all, they were more than happy to help. Shelby had been so touched by their kindness, she told them she would return the favor if they ever needed it.

Shelby was excited when she realized their other neighbors were a pair of sisters and the youngest was Rachel's age. Shelby had immediately taken to Frannie Fabray, a thirty year old graphic designer and guardian to baby sister Quinn. Quinn was a beautiful fifteen year old and had been so polite when being introduced. Shelby wished she could have said the same for her daughter. Rachel had sulked and pouted and had barely said three words to the Fabrays. She ran off towards the house as soon as she was able to. Shelby apologized for Rachel's rudeness and had extended an invite for a coffee date to Frannie just as soon as she had things settled, which Frannie was more than happy to accept.

By Sunday, Shelby was able to finally breathe. There was still some unpacking to be done, but all of the big things were out of the way. Mostly Shelby and Rachel just needed to go through the rest of the boxes that the Berry men had sent to Shelby's parents' house while she and Rachel were in New York. Rachel didn't have a problem unpacking her clothes, but the men had also sent photo albums, toys, and even some baby things that they had saved which was harder for the girl to deal with. They would get through them in time, but for now, they sat in the empty closet in the tiny upstairs office.

Shelby smiled into her coffee mug Sunday evening. She was sitting around the dining room table at her parents' house with her parents, Lauren, Todd, Sarah, and Lisa. Her brothers had all of the kids outside playing kickball. It was a normal Sunday at the Corcoran residence.

Sunday dinner at Mom and Dad's had begun when Shelby was very young. Because Shelby was so much younger than the rest of her siblings, it became a rule early on that the three older siblings had to have dinner with the family every Sunday; John and Diane wanted their youngest to still be able to see her siblings frequently.

Shelby had only been six when Jack went to Ohio State. He lived on campus, but had come home every Sunday as promised so he could spend time with his baby sister. Ben had gone off to school a year later, and Lauren three years after that. By the time Shelby was ten, she was the only child in the house, but all of her siblings made sure to come home at least once a week to see her.

Family Sundays still continued, but had expanded over the years. Sarah had joined the family when Shelby was twelve and became Shelby's sister-in-law two years later. Lauren married Todd when Shelby was seventeen, and finally middle brother Ben married Lisa when Shelby was twenty-one. Shelby loved her siblings' spouses just as much as she loved her siblings, and they had all known Shelby since she was still very much a kid. They had all looked out for her and even helped her out of a few sticky situations over the years.

The first Sunday as a college student for Shelby also marked the first Sunday she wasn't at family dinner. She could remember being extremely lonely her first semester; it was hard to get used to being so far away from her family. She loved New York, but Shelby had missed her parents and siblings. It had helped meeting Sasha in her freshmen English class. The two had become fast friends and she had even come home with Shelby on long weekends.

Shelby was shaken from her thoughts when shouting started coming from the kitchen. A moment later, Jack rushed into the dining room with Rachel in his arms and Ben and the rest of the kids in close pursuit.

"Get some ice, Ben! Kids, let Rachel breathe," Jack ordered, making sure the rest of the children gave Rachel room. The girl was pretty shook up and was trying hard not to cry. She was cradling her right arm close to her chest and wouldn't let her uncle touch it.

"Oh my God, what happened?" Shelby asked, jumping up from her chair the moment her brother brought her daughter into the room. The chair had been knocked backwards and fell to its side. The other adults in the room were also on their feet and spouting off questions as well.

"We were all playing and Rachel and JJ collided with each other. Rachel got hurt," Jack said. "She's fine, Shel. We'll fix her up, I promise," he added with a quick glance at his little sister. He could tell she was about to fly off the handle and that was the last thing that needed to happen right now. Jack was pretty sure Rachel may have broken her arm, or at least sprained it. As a father of two and an uncle to six—not to mention a knuckleheaded daredevil as a kid—Jack had dealt with his fair share of injuries.

Shelby was a bundle of nerves. She wanted to rush to her baby and pull her into her arms, but her brother was blocking her from getting too near Rachel at the moment. She watched as he took an icepack from Ben and cajoled her daughter into letting him take a look at her arm. Shelby could tell Rachel was fighting back sobs. She already had a steady flow of tears falling from her eyes, which made Shelby's heart break.

"Where does it hurt, sweetie?" Jack asked gently, holding his niece's arm in his hands as carefully as he could. He couldn't see any obvious breaks, and her arm still looked straight. He noticed it was a bit warm around her wrist.

Rachel bit her lip and tried to talk without sobbing. Her arm hurt! It was like a fiery knife was jabbing her in the wrist, and the pain coursed up her arm in waves. "W-wrist," she managed to choke out. She looked up at her mom as more tears blurred her vision. "Mommy, it hurts," she whined.

Before Rachel's words were all the way out of her mouth, Shelby was at her side, brushing her hair back from her sweaty face and placing a kiss to her forehead. "I know baby, we'll fix it. I promise," she soothed, though she was far from calm on the inside. She wanted nothing more than to wave her hand and take away Rachel's pain.

Shelby placed an arm around Rachel and let the girl lean into her side as Jack began lightly touching her daughter's wrist, which caused Rachel to hiss and try to pull her arm away.

"Can you squeeze my finger for me, Rach? As hard as you can," Jack said, holding out his index finger. He noticed that Rachel winced as she went to grasp his finger and she couldn't get a firm hold at all. He sighed and stood up to his full height. "Put the ice on it, sweetheart. That will help keep the swelling down. Shelby, I think she needs to go to the ER," he said, trying to remain as calm as possible. Shelby was like a caged animal right now. Any slight movement or raised voice would send her over the edge.

"ER? Is it broken? Do I need to call 911? Should we make a splint?" Shelby rambled. She could feel Rachel beginning to shake.

"Mommy, I don't want to go to the ER!" Rachel whined, her tears falling faster now. She was hurting and scared and she hated hospitals. They always smelled weird and the few times she had had to go, it always included needles and IVs. Rachel hated needles and anything that had to do with blood. Whenever she thought about it, she was positive she could feel her own blood coursing through her veins and it almost hurt.

Shelby bent down so she would be nearer to Rachel's eye level and smoothed the girl's hair back. "I know sweetheart, but we need to make sure you're ok," Shelby soothed.

"Come on, I'll drive you both. Sarah, don't wait for me. Take the kids home when you're ready and I'll be home later," Jack said, helping Rachel stand.

"We'll all go," Diane said, starting to move to go get purses.

"That isn't necessary, Mom. I'm sure we'll be there for a while and it won't do anyone any good to have all of us there. We'll keep you updated," Jack replied as Shelby went to grab her purse.

Rachel received careful hugs from her family as they all wished her luck and told her everything would be fine. The adults gave out dozens of kisses a piece and all told her they loved her.

Shelby returned a moment later with purse in hand and quickly hugged and kissed her family before guiding Rachel out the back door after Jack. Shelby handed her brother the keys to her SUV and climbed into the back with Rachel, sitting in the middle so that she could be close to her daughter and provide whatever comfort she could.

Rachel let her mother buckle her up and immediately leaned into her right side, breathing in the comforting scent of vanilla and coconut.

**Open Arms * Open Arms * Open Arms**

It was nearly eleven o'clock at night and Rachel had still yet to be called back. They had been sitting in the waiting room for more than three hours already, and Shelby was beginning to get angry. She watched as person after person was called and here she sat with her hurting baby while others that came _after_ them were taken _before_ Rachel. Shelby was losing her patience.

Rachel sat on a sofa in between her uncle and mother. She was leaning up against her mother's right side, with her head resting in the crook of Shelby's neck. She was tired and her arm throbbed. It was starting to swell and bruise, and her icepack had long ago turned warm. Uncle Jack had managed to find a bag and had gotten some ice, but even that was mostly melted by now.

Shelby had her arm wrapped around her daughter and was humming to her softly, not knowing how else to comfort her child. She knew Rachel was hurting, and she could see the swelling around her baby's wrist. Jack had said that that was normally a sign of a sprain, but the doctor's would know more.

"This is ridiculous," Shelby said to her brother, pulling Rachel closer when the girl whimpered. "Some of these other people going back aren't as hurt as Rachel. How much longer are we expected to wait?"

"Shel, we have to be patient. You know how ERs work. They take more important cases first," Jack said calmly.

"And Rachel isn't an important case?" Shelby barked back. Shelby could feel her mama bear coming out, and God help anyone who got in the way of her and her daughter.

"Of course she is, Shelly. She'll be seen soon, I—"

"Stay with Rachel. I'm going to go see what the hold up is!" Shelby said, standing up. "Mommy will figure this out, baby," she said gently to the very scared and hurting child who was staring up at her with watery eyes.

"Shelby, come back!" Jack called after his sister's retreating back.

Shelby stalked over to the nurses' station and glared at the woman behind the counter. Somewhere in her head, she knew she needed to control her temper, but mama bear was taking over and Shelby was going to do whatever was necessary for Rachel.

"My daughter is in a lot of pain and we have been waiting for almost four hours already. When is she going to be seen?" Shelby asked, biting back the venom as much as she could.

"Ma'am, she will be seen just as soon as possible. We have to take those who are experiencing more serious symptoms first and then we get to the patients with lesser complaints," the nurse replied.

"Yes, I realize that, but there are others who have been called before my daughter and there is _no_ way they are more serious than her injury! She could have a broken arm! She is in _pain_!" Shelby yelled. She knew people were starting to stare, but she didn't care. She needed these idiots to help her daughter—_now_!

"Ma'am, please, you must be patient," said the nurse as if she was talking to a small child. That sent Shelby's blood pressure shooting upwards.

"Do you know who I _am_?" she asked incredulously. Normally she wasn't the type of person to use her fame for her own personal gain, but in this instance, Shelby wasn't above it.

"Ma'am, I-I…of _course_ I know w-who you are, I—"

"I'm sorry for my sister's behavior. This is her first experience with an injured child and she's being a little ridiculous," Jack said as he came up behind Shelby to save the poor nervous nurse from his sister who was about to rip her throat out.

"Jack, I am _not_—"

"Again, I'm sorry," Jack said to the nurse before he grabbed his baby sister by her arm and dragged her off to the side like he would one of his children when they were acting up. "You need to calm down. I understand you are upset and want to help Rachel, but right now you'll be most helpful sitting with your daughter and trying to keep _her_ as calm as possible. She's scared, hurting, and doesn't like hospitals—she needs her mother. Now go sit back down with Rachel and behave yourself before I haul you off to the bathroom for a little discussion." Jack hadn't really meant to say the last sentence—he had forgotten he was talking to his grown sister for a moment and not his teenagers—but he decided to go with it. It was already out, after all.

Shelby blushed and hung her head at her brother's scolding. Her belly did a little flip at his not-so-subtle threat. Shelby didn't think he was being serious, but then again…she hadn't thought he had been serious when she was nineteen and she had shown up at his house intoxicated. She had driven herself, which she knew was a stupid idea, but she had only had a few beers—and it wasn't a long drive. Shelby knew she'd be in trouble if she went home to her parents, so she figured her big brother would let her crash at his and Sarah's house for the night. He had been more than willing to let Shelby stay with them for the night, but that was after he chewed her out royally for her stunt and then told her to go take a shower before he came up to blister her butt. Shelby had scoffed but went to shower just the same. She was just crawling into bed when Jack knocked on the guestroom door. She remembered him telling her that he truly did not want to have to do what he was about to, but he was doing it because he loved her and didn't want to see her hurt herself or someone else by driving drunk—and yes, buzzed driving was drunk driving. He then pulled Shelby over his lap and true to his word, had blistered her butt. Shelby couldn't sit comfortably for three whole days after that spanking. She had learned her lesson, however, and never again made that same mistake.

"I-I'm sorry, Jack," Shelby said, glancing up at her brother. She felt so much like a teenager in this moment. She knew her brother was right though—she needed to be keeping Rachel calm. "I just want Rachel to been seen and stop hurting. I don't like this. I…I'm scared too."

"Shel, I know you're scared too," Jack sighed, pulling Shelby into his arms and hugging her tightly. "Everything will be fine, but you need to be strong for Rachel right now. You can fall apart later, and I'll be here and hold you while you do so, but get it together for right now. For Rach," he said, kissing Shelby's head.

Shelby breathed in her brother's scent; it was so much like their father's. She could remember clinging to Jack after he spanked her and him telling her how much he loved her. He said he would be lost without her and was always going to be there for her, even if it meant giving her a kick in the pants when she needed it. And here Jack was, still helping Shelby through the sticky spots and giving her a kick back in the right direction.

Rachel was happy when her mom and uncle came back over to join her. She hated sitting by herself and had begun shaking not long after her mother had left her to go talk to the nurse. Her tremors had only gotten worse when Uncle Jack got up to follow her mother.

As soon as Shelby sat back down, Rachel was immediately in her lap. Shelby felt a huge pang of guilt when she felt how much Rachel was shaking. She had been trying to get her daughter seen faster, but she should have stayed with Rachel and just held her.

"I'm sorry I left to fight with the nurse, baby," Shelby whispered into Rachel's ear. "I won't leave your side again."

"Mommy, let's go home. I want to go home," Rachel whined, curling up in her mother's arms. She didn't care that she was sitting in her mother's lap in public, she was scared and needed her mom to hold her.

"I know, baby. I want to go home too, but we need to have you looked at first," Shelby said gently, kissing Rachel's head.

"No, let's just go. Please, Mommy," Rachel begged, tears forming in her eyes.

Shelby's heart broke at seeing her daughter so upset. She wanted to make everything better, but she couldn't right now. She wished she could take Rachel home and forget about all of this, but Rachel was hurt and needed to have her arm looked at. Shelby couldn't just take her home.

"Baby, I promise we'll go as soon as we can," Shelby soothed, patting the side of Rachel's leg.

"No, let's go _now_!" Rachel argued, untangling herself from her mother's arms and standing up. She was wound up and she just had to get out of here. She wanted to be anywhere but in this waiting room at the moment. "Mommy, c'mon," she whined, trying to pull her mother up with her left hand.

Rachel was having absolutely no luck getting her mother to stand up and leave with her. It was making her angry. Tears of frustration began to make their way down her face and Rachel stomped her foot and huffed loudly. "You're being so unfair," she accused her mother as she angrily swiped at her eyes with her left hand.

Shelby gave her daughter a sympathetic smile and pulled her back onto her lap, holding tightly as she struggled in her arms. "I'm sorry you think that, sweetheart. We're not going home right now though," she replied, feeling tears prick at her own eyes.

"Mommy, you're so mean!" Rachel cried, burying her face in her mom's neck. "Take me home," she pleaded. She didn't want to be here anymore, and she didn't care how much her arm hurt. She wanted to go home.

Shelby held Rachel tighter, cooing to her softly. Hearing her baby tell her she was mean broke Shelby's heart. She didn't want her child to think she was mean. Shelby looked at her brother with watery eyes. He gave her a knowing look and reached over to squeeze her shoulder reassuringly.

"We'll go home as soon as we can, Rach," Shelby said, rubbing Rachel's back.

"Noooo," Rachel moaned, her tears dripping onto Shelby's t-shirt collar. "Mommy, I hate—"

Shelby didn't find out what her baby hated because at that same moment, a young male nurse in light blue scrubs called for Rachel Corcoran.

* * *

**Ahhh! First cliff hanger (sort of). Next chapter we'll find out what exactly is wrong with Rachel, Shelby will be over-protective, and QUINN will stir up some drama! I know a lot of you are interested in finding out how Rachel and Quinn will get along. We'll start to explore that next chapter! **

**Reviews are always welcome! **


	9. Broken

**Chapter Nine: Broken**

Shelby was so relieved when she heard Rachel's name being called. _Finally_! Hopefully it wouldn't take too much longer to figure out what was wrong with Rachel's wrist and they could get her patched up and on her way.

"C'mon baby, it won't be much longer now," Shelby said as she stood Rachel up and got up herself. She wrapped her arm around her child's shoulder and tried to get her to move, but Rachel was proving stubborn.

"No, let's go home! I don't want to do this! Mommy, don't make me!" Rachel cried, digging her heels into the carpeted floor.

"Rach—"

"No, Mom! It doesn't hurt that bad anymore! Take me home!" Rachel begged, tears falling down her face in rivers. People were starting to stare, but she didn't care. She wanted her mom to take her home.

Shelby looked over at her brother, not knowing what to do. Rachel's cries were tearing at her heart and she wanted nothing more than to scoop her up in her arms and make everything go away.

Jack watched as Rachel began to have a meltdown in the middle of the waiting room and Shelby tried in vain to soothe her. Taking a deep breath, he walked over to Rachel and—careful of her arm—swung her up over his shoulder and marched towards the waiting nurse. He wasn't fazed at all when the girl started slapping his back and wiggling to get down, he simply held on tighter. "C'mon Shel," he called over his shoulder when his sister didn't follow.

Shelby was so shocked when Jack threw Rachel over his shoulder, she stood there gaping at his retreating back. She heard him call for her and she quickly shook off her surprise and caught up with him.

Rachel was crying and pounding on her uncle's back with her good hand while demanding to be let down. She still couldn't believe he had scooped her up like that and thrown her over his shoulder like a sack of potatoes. He acted like it was nothing and was a completely normal thing to do to your niece.

"Let me down!" Rachel cried, thumping her uncle's shoulder blade with her fist. She gasped and stilled when he gave her a quick pat on the bottom. It hadn't really hurt, but it had definitely gotten her attention.

Jack was glad his soft pop to the girl's rear had settled her down. Her little fist had hit his shoulder blade just right and damn it had hurt! He wasn't angry or even upset with her for it, but he also didn't want to get hit like that again.

Once they had reached the door where the nurse was standing, Jack set Rachel on her feet and the girl immediately attached herself to her mother's side. He couldn't help but smirk when she gave him a withering glare before turning away from him.

"You must be Rachel. My name's Brad," the nurse said, giving Rachel a warm smile. He could tell the teen was nervous. Most people who came into the ER were nervous, and Brad made it his mission to make sure his patients were at ease while under his care. "You all can follow me."

Shelby smiled at Brad and guided Rachel down the hall after him. He seemed like a nice guy, probably in his late thirties. He had warm brown eyes that somehow still managed to sparkle in the harsh florescent lights.

Brad led the three into a small curtained off section with a bed and two chairs. "Rachel, if you want to jump up on the bed, I'll take your vitals and then I'll get you a gown to change in to," he said, patting the mattress.

Rachel held onto her mom tighter and tried to hide behind the woman. She didn't like the sound of vitals—it sounded like it would involve blood being taken. Well, she wasn't sure, but she was afraid that's what it would involve.

"Mommy, I want to go home," Rachel whispered tearfully.

Shelby felt Rachel reach up to grasp the back of her t-shirt. "Sweetheart, it's going to be ok," she soothed as she turned and bent forward to be on Rachel's level. "Brad here is just going to take your blood pressure and temperature. Aren't you, Brad?" Shelby added with a glance at the man.

"Yeah, that's all I'm going to do," Brad agreed. He already had the blood pressure monitor pulled up next to the bed. "I promise it won't hurt, Rachel."

"You can't take any blood," Rachel told Brad as she hopped up on the bed with her mother's help. She leaned into her mother's side as Brad placed the pressure cuff on her arm.

"I don't think we'll need to draw any blood, Rachel," replied Brad, pulling his stethoscope from around his neck and putting it in his ears. He made quick work of taking Rachel's pressure and temperature, jotting the numbers down in her chart. "You're blood pressure is a little high, but that's probably due to stress and pain. Temperature is normal."

Rachel started tuning Brad out. She was glad he wasn't coming near her with any needles, but she hoped it'd stay that way. She _hated_ needles. He didn't stay much longer; he asked some questions about how Rachel had hurt herself. She let Uncle Jack answer most of them while she just hid her head in her mother's chest. Before he left, he pulled out a hospital gown and told Rachel to change into it.

"She can keep on her underwear and bra. Everything else needs to come off. You can put her clothes in this bag," he said to Shelby, handing her a plastic drawstring bag. "The doctor should be in soon, but if you need anything, you can press the red button on the remote attached to the bed," Brad added as he left and pulled the curtain closed.

"I'll give you two some privacy. I'll be right outside," Jack said as he made his own departure.

Shelby sighed and turned to her daughter who looked at her with such sad eyes. "C'mon baby, I'll help you out of your clothes," she said, helping the girl stand.

"Mommy, please…can't we go home?" Rachel asked, a tear making its way down her face. She was hoping now that she had her mother alone, she might be able to convince her to leave. "I really don't hurt that bad anymore. We can go home."

"Rach…Your wrist and hand are swollen to almost twice their size. We aren't going anywhere until you're looked at," Shelby said gently as she unbuttoned Rachel's pink Bermuda shorts.

Rachel shook her head and tried to step away from her mother, but Shelby hooked a finger in one of the belt loops on Rachel's shorts so she couldn't go anywhere. She quickly had the zipper undone and was now working on pulling the shorts down. It was hard because Rachel was trying her best to make it as difficult as possible for her mother.

"Rachel, please stand still," Shelby said with a sigh. She couldn't bring herself to be even the slightest bit annoyed with the girl because she knew she was scared and was only acting out of fear.

Shelby finally got the shorts down and noticed that Rachel was wearing tennis shoes. Why hadn't she thought to look at her shoes before she took her pants off? Oh yeah, because this was the first time Shelby had ever undressed her child.

Rachel kicked off her tennis shoes while her mom held her steady and then stepped out of her shorts when Shelby told her to. She gave her mom big, sad eyes when she told her to lift her arms so Shelby could pull Rachel's tank top off.

"Almost done, baby," Shelby cooed as she unfolded the hospital gown. She could already tell it was going to be huge on her little girl. She slipped it on over Rachel's arms and then turned her around so she could tie up the back. Shelby tied it as tight as she could, but it hung loosely around Rachel's shoulders and the girl's blue and yellow striped underwear were visible through the opening in the back. It would have to do though. Shelby kissed Rachel's head before helping the girl up onto the bed and pulling the flat sheet over her legs so she wouldn't feel so exposed.

"Jack, you can come back in," Shelby called a second later.

Hearing his cue, Jack reemerged from behind the curtains and made his way over to Rachel to give her a kiss. He smiled when she tried to shy away from him. "Still upset with me, kiddo?" he asked gently.

Rachel blushed and looked at anything besides her uncle. She wasn't exactly upset, but it was embarrassing to have been carried like that, first off, and then for him to pop her bottom—someone could have seen! They probably _did_!

"Anything I can do to get back on your good side, squirt?" Jack asked, his eyes twinkling impishly. He really was hoping to get the kid to laugh.

"Take me home," Rachel whined with a pout.

Shelby sighed and climbed onto the bed next to Rachel, hoping to ease the child's anxiety as much as she could. "Shh, why don't you close your eyes and rest until the doctor comes in?" she soothed, rubbing her fingers over Rachel's head. She could feel the girl melt into her side and her breathing settling down.

**Open Arms * Open Arms * Open Arms **

Jack carried a sleeping Rachel into Shelby's quiet house while his sister led the way to his niece's room, flicking on lights as she went. It was a little after three in the morning and they were just getting home. It had taken another hour and a half after Rachel had been called back that a doctor had seen her, forty five minutes to get X-rays, thirty minutes to get Rachel's arm set in a cast, and then another forty-five minutes to be discharged. The poor girl had a fractured wrist and had to get a full arm cast that ended just above her elbow that she would have to wear for six weeks. The doctor had let Rachel pick out her cast color, and the girl went for the hot pink immediately. The girl had cried a bit more during their wait to be discharged, both from pain and pure exhaustion. She had finally fallen asleep on the drive home.

"Be careful of her arm! Don't bump it!" Shelby whispered as Jack settled Rachel on her bed. He shook his head at her comforter. It was bright pink with neon blue, green, and yellow stars all over it. He remembered when Rachel had picked it out at the store. He had gone with her and Shelby to help them with some of the heavy lifting—plus he had a truck, which was useful. Rachel had squealed when seeing the bed set and begged Shelby for it. She had become upset when they couldn't find a full size, but Shelby had been determined to get the set her baby wanted, and they wound up going to three other stores before finding it.

"I've got it, Shelbs," Jack said, sighing.

"Sorry Jack, I'm just—"

"I know, sis, Mama Bear comes out. You did well tonight," Jack said with a smirk.

"I needed a little push from you though," Shelby whispered, blushing slightly.

"We all need a little push now and then, Shel. And this is all new to you. I'm so proud of you, baby sister," Jack said, kissing Shelby on the head before making his way to the hallway. He and Shelby already decided that he would sleep in her guestroom for the night and Sarah and the kids would come by tomorrow to pick him up.

Shelby stood and watched Rachel sleep for a moment before reaching to take the girl's shoes and socks off. She had found out already that the girl was a heavy sleeper, so she wasn't all that concerned about waking her as she started undressing her. Her shorts were much easier to slip off than her tank top, but somehow Shelby managed to get it off even with the cast on. Her daughter's bra proved to be the most difficult, but soon that was off as well and Shelby wiggled Rachel into the large NYU shirt she was so found of.

Lifting Rachel slightly so she could pull her blankets down, Shelby settled the girl back on her pillows and tucked her in. Henry was placed in Rachel's left hand and secured near her cheek like the girl liked him. Shelby then went to the hallway closet to get two extra pillows. The doctor had said to elevate Rachel's arm to reduce swelling and pain, especially at night. Going back into her daughter's room, she quickly propped Rachel's arm up and then leaned down to kiss her.

"Goodnight, my angel," she whispered, brushing some hair from Rachel's face. She walked quietly to the doorway and across the hall into her own room, wanting nothing more than to crawl into bed and put an end to this day.

**Open Arms * Open Arms * Open Arms **

Rachel rolled over the next morning to find her mother sleeping next to her. She scrunched up her face, trying to remember last night. She couldn't remember coming up to bed at all…or even coming home from the hospital. The hospital…she had been hoping it was all a dream, but the slight throbbing from her arm and the sore spot on her head from just banging her cast against herself told her it was no dream. She had a broken arm and was going to be stuck in this stupid cast for six weeks.

Shelby heard Rachel shuffling next to her and immediately opened her eyes to check on her. "Hey baby, how are you feeling?" she asked when she noticed Rachel was awake and staring at her.

"My arm hurts," Rachel replied sadly.

Shelby reached out a hand to run her finger along Rachel's cheek while she gave her a sympathetic smile. "I'll give you one of the pain killers the doctor gave us after breakfast. You need to take it with food or milk," she said.

"Where's the pill bottle? I'll get it," Rachel said as she sat up.

"I put it in the kitchen cabinet. I'll get it for you, sweetie," Shelby replied.

"Mom, I can do it myself. I'm not a baby," Rachel argued, attempting to cross her arms. It just wasn't working with the cast.

"I didn't say you were, sweetheart," Shelby said gently, wanting to pacify her daughter. "I'm going to give you the medicine though, Rach. You are not to get it yourself. Ok?"

"Fine," Rachel huffed, stomping into the bathroom. She didn't understand what the big deal was. It's not like she'd never taken pills by herself.

Shelby sighed as her daughter shut her bathroom door with more force than was necessary. Rachel could be grumpy on an average morning, but clearly adding a broken arm into the mix made for an extra cranky teenager. Shelby hoped she'd cheer up after getting some food in her belly and medicine in her system.

"I'm going downstairs to get some milk, or can I not do that by myself either?" Rachel asked when she reentered her bedroom a few minutes later.

"Rach," Shelby said in warning, giving the girl a look that said "knock it off". "I'll pour you a glass of milk once I come downstairs. You can't do that with your arm—"

"I didn't break both of them, Mom! Why are you being like this?"

"I'm not being like anything, Rach. You broke your right arm, sweetie. You're going to need help. There isn't anything wrong with needing help," Shelby said, taking a deep breath. She crawled out of bed and made her way over to her sullen child, pulling her close. "Don't fight me," she whispered, placing a gentle kiss on top of Rachel's head.

Rachel pouted at her mother's words, but found herself relaxing in the woman's arms. She felt badly when her mother told her not to fight with her. "I'm really not trying to, Mommy," she said sadly. "This just sucks."

Shelby held Rachel closer and planted another kiss on her head. "I know it sucks, baby. It'll be ok though. We'll figure it out together," she said. "What do you want for breakfast?"

"Can we have waffles?" Rachel asked, looking up at her mom with big eyes. She loved waffles and loved when her mother made them for her.

"Yes, we can have waffles," Shelby said lightly, smiling when she saw Rachel's face light up. She was glad her girl seemed to be over her little tantrum. Shelby looked over at the digital clock on her daughter's nightstand and saw that it was 11:12 in the morning. "Go see if your uncle's up and ask if he'd like waffles as well. I'm going to go to the bathroom and then I'll head downstairs."

Shelby sent Rachel off with a light pat to her bottom before heading into the girl's bathroom.

"Uncle Jack? Are you up?" Rachel asked as she knocked lightly on the guestroom door. She heard a faint grunt in response, so she slowly opened the door. "Mom's making waffles…want any?" she asked.

"Hey squirt," Jack said sleepily, smiling at his niece and patting the side of the bed next to him. He wrapped his arm around the girl when she hopped up and pulled her against his side. "How ya feeling?" he asked, planting a kiss to her cheek.

"Ok. My arm hurts some. Mom said I can't take any medicine without her," Rachel said, sighing.

"That's probably best, kid. She'll fix you up soon enough," Jack replied. "So…waffles, huh?"

"They're my favorite," Rachel said with a smile, letting her uncle snuggle her closer. She had forgiven him for the night before and was enjoying being back to normal with him.

"Mine too. Why don't we head down and see if Mommy is making them yet?" Jack said as he helped Rachel stand, patting her bottom like he would his own kids.

Rachel rolled her eyes and huffed. What was it with all the pats today? Not that she really minded…her fathers had never been affectionate towards her. Rachel loved all the hugs, kisses, cuddles—and yeah, even the love pats—she received from her family. It made her feel, well…loved.

Shelby was already in the kitchen, mixing the waffle batter when her brother and daughter walked in.

"Good morning, sis," Jack said, stifling a yawn as he made his way over to the coffee pot. He was glad to see Shelby had already started brewing a pot.

Rachel made her way over to the fridge to get out the full gallon of milk sitting on the top shelf. She put the jug on the counter before going to get a glass from the cabinet.

"Rach, wait for me or Uncle Jack to get your milk for you," Shelby said when she noticed Rachel reaching for a glass out of the corner of her eye.

Rachel ignored her mother and returned to the milk jug, taking the cap off and grabbing the handle. She could do this. It really wasn't that hard!

Shelby turned around just in time to see Rachel spill milk all over the counter. "Rachel!" Shelby said exasperated, quickly taking the milk jug from her child before she spilled the whole thing. "Do you ever listen?" she added as she swatted the girl's bottom.

"Mom, it was an accident! What was that for?" Rachel pouted, reaching back to rub immediately.

Shelby raised her eyebrow at her child. She hadn't hit Rachel hard, so she knew it really hadn't hurt much—if at all—but Rachel never passed up an opportunity to be dramatic.

"Because I told you I would get your milk for you in a minute," Shelby replied, grabbing a roll of paper towels. As she passed her daughter, she couldn't help but give the girl another swat—for good measure.

"Mommy! I think you need to break your left arm so you can't swat me for a few weeks!" Rachel said with a smirk.

"Is that so, little girl?" Shelby asked as she cleaned the countertop. She made quick work of it and then poured Rachel her glass of milk.

"Yeah. Or if that doesn't happen, you should at least rest your hand for a while, Mom. It's got to get tired always swatting," Rachel replied, giggling.

"I'm about to do a lot more than swat you, munchkin," Shelby quipped, moving towards her daughter.

"Mom! I'm just looking out for your well-being!" said Rachel as she tried to escape into the living room.

"Uh huh. You should be worried about your own well-being, miss. You're about to get a sore bottom," Shelby warned, pulling Rachel close to her.

"Mommy, you can't spank me! I've got a fractured arm!" Rachel whined, wiggling in her mother's grasp. She held her casted arm up and pouted with big, sad eyes.

"Too bad you didn't fracture your tongue—it'd have been quiet around here for once!" said Shelby with a laugh, pulling the girl in for a hug, mindful of her injured arm. She then placed a kiss to Rachel's head while patting her bottom gently.

Jack sat back against the counter and sipped his coffee, happily watching the scene unfold before him. He shook his head and chuckled at Rachel's antics—he had a feeling this kid would give him a run for his money in the talk your way out of trouble department.

"Sit down at the counter now and behave yourself," Shelby said after a moment.

"Can I have my medicine now?" Rachel asked once she was seated at a barstool and drinking her milk.

"Let's wait until after breakfast, Rach. You need to take it with food," Shelby said, pouring a bit of batter onto the waffle iron.

"You said milk would work too," Rachel whined.

"I did, but give your body some time to get food in your system. I don't want the meds to make you sick on your stomach," Shelby said patiently. She sighed inwardly. She had to deal with six weeks of this?

Shelby sent Jack to set the table while she finished making the waffles. When she finished, she and Rachel joined Jack in the dining room. Shelby dished out waffles to each of them and then made Rachel's the way the girl liked it. She began cutting it up so it would be easier for Rachel to eat with her left hand.

Rachel huffed when Shelby cut up her waffle for her, but quickly got over it when she realized how hard it was to eat with her left hand. It was like her hand and her brain weren't all the way in sync.

"I'll clean up the dishes, Shel," Jack said once the three had finished breakfast. He knew that Rachel was hurting and wanted her medicine, and he had a feeling she was going to want Shelby to cuddle with her afterwards. That's normally what Lexi did when she wasn't feeling well at any rate. Hell, even when JJ was really feeling awful, he'd ask his mother to rub his head for him while he laid with his head on her lap. Those same kids would then turn around and say they were all grown up and didn't want or need their parents to cuddle or hug them because it was "embarrassing" and "babyish".

"Jack, I can't—"

"You _can_. It won't take me long. Go relax with Rachel," Jack insisted.

"Thanks, Jack," Shelby said with a smile before ushering Rachel into the living room. "Get comfortable while I get your medicine, baby," she added, pushing the girl towards the cream colored sofa sectional that was very much like the one she had back in New York. When they went furniture shopping, Shelby had let Rachel weigh in on choices, and she had said she really liked the sofa back in Shelby's apartment and wanted one with a lounge section. Shelby had to admit, the lounge was the greatest sofa invention ever because it allowed her to be comfortable as well when Rachel cuddled up next to her—which was often.

Rachel immediately took the pill from her mother once she returned to the living room a moment later. Her arm was really hurting and she just wanted a bit of relief from the constant throbbing. She finished off the last of her milk when she swallowed the pill and handed the glass to her mother who set it on the coffee table. Rachel then let herself be pulled into her mother' arms.

Shelby rubbed Rachel's back for a minute or so before they both got comfortable on the lounge. Rachel wound up lying down on her side, her head resting against a throw pillow on Shelby's lap while Shelby ran her hand through the girl's hair.

Jack joined mother and daughter in the living room within ten minutes, taking a seat on the opposite side of the sectional, and the three of them settled in to watch _Air Force One_ that was just starting on one of the movie channels.

**Open Arms * Open Arms * Open Arms **

Rachel was still asleep on the sofa when Shelby came to check on her at two o'clock. Sarah and the kids had long ago come to get Jack and they stayed for a little bit to visit with Rachel, but the girl had been falling asleep even then. Once Shelby saw them out, she tried to get her daughter to go back up to bed to take a nap, but she refused. So Shelby sat with her until she passed out and then went to get a few chores done while she could—she wanted to be able to give all her attention to Rachel when the girl was up in case she needed anything. She was already planning on making the girl take a bath as soon as she woke up.

By two-thirty, Rachel was huffing because her mom was working on securing not one but _two_ garbage bags around her right arm to protect her cast from getting any water on it.

"Mom, I think it's waterproof now," Rachel complained when her mom contemplated aloud whether or not she should put another one on just in case.

Shelby knew Rachel was annoyed with her, but she really needed to make sure the cast remained dry, and she didn't want to chance anything happening. This was the first time Shelby was ever dealing with anything like this, and she didn't want to make any mistakes.

"I'm sorry, Rach. I just want to make sure it doesn't get wet," Shelby sighed, looking down at her daughter. She had her sitting on the closed toilet seat in the master bathroom, wrapped up in a fluffy towel. The girl was scowling and refused to look at her. Shelby sighed once more before bending over to peck Rachel on the forehead. "Are you sure you don't want my help?" she asked as she stood back to let Rachel up.

"No Mom, I am more than capable of taking a bath by myself," Rachel huffed.

"I just…It might be easier if I helped," Shelby said calmly.

"Mom, no," Rachel whined. "I can do it myself."

Shelby sighed and conceded. It was no use upsetting the girl, and if she needed anything, Shelby would be in the bedroom reading a book. She gave her girl one last kiss before making her way out of the bathroom. "Don't forget to keep your right arm out of the tub!" she called in as an afterthought.

Rachel sighed and clumsily unwrapped the towel from around her and set it on the sink counter before climbing into the warm water.

The girl found that washing her body and lathering her hair with only one hand wasn't so hard, but when it came to washing her hair out, she had some issues. Trying to maneuver the removable showerhead with her left hand proved impossible. Rachel managed to get water everywhere but on her head.

"Shit!" she exclaimed when the showerhead slipped from her hand and sprayed all over the bathroom. "Aw dammit!" she added when she felt water soak the trash bag on her arm.

"Rachel, what's wrong?" Shelby called from her bedroom when she heard her daughter's yells.

"Nothing Mom!" Rachel replied. "Shit!"

"Rachel, watch your language! Keep it up and I'll wash your mouth out, young lady!" Shelby said as she stepped into the bathroom. "Now what is—oh Rachel!"

Shelby stepped onto the soaked bathmat and sighed. She knew she shouldn't have left Rachel alone in the bathroom. She sighed again when she saw that the trash bag that was supposed to be protecting her daughter's arm was falling down—it was a good thing she had put two bags on after all! She finally looked into the flushed face of her fourteen year old. Shampoo suds were slowly making their way down towards the girl's eyes.

"Oh Rach," Shelby sighed, kneeling at the side of the tub and picking up the showerhead. "Tilt your head back," she said gently.

Shelby made quick work of rinsing the shampoo from Rachel's hair, smiling at being able to help her daughter with a bath—something that she thought she'd never have the opportunity to do. She sang quietly to help relax Rachel, noticing the girl had her legs tucked tightly to her chest and was hunched over to try to preserve her modesty.

Leaning over to kiss her wet head, Shelby smiled at her daughter. "All done. Do you want help getting out?"

"_Mom_! No, I–No! I'm _naked_!" Rachel shrieked, her face turning blood red. She gave her mom a sideways glance and huffed—the woman was smiling! She thought it was funny! Why did parents have to be so embarrassing sometimes?

"It's nothing I haven't seen, baby. I've already spanked that cute little tush of yours, and you've undressed in front of me before. Not to mention I changed your clothes last night—or did you think you magically got into your pajamas?" Shelby said with a huge grin on her face.

"_MOM_!" Rachel whined.

"I'm just teasing, baby," Shelby said, giving her daughter another kiss before turning to leave the room.

Rachel sighed as she carefully climbed out of the bathtub and wrapped the towel back around her. She didn't want to admit it, but it really was difficult doing even the simplest of tasks with only her left hand. It might not be so bad if the cast on her right didn't completely immobilize her arm, but it did. The thing was useless, stuck at a ninety-degree angle with no wiggle room.

"Rach? Everything ok in there?" Shelby asked after another ten minutes. She really wished her stubborn daughter would just let her help her.

"Dammit!" Rachel hissed after her third attempt at getting her bra hooked. It just wasn't working.

Shelby rolled her eyes outside the door before pushing it open. "Get out here," she ordered, startling the girl. She hadn't meant to, but she was done with the cursing and the stubbornness.

"Mom, I—"

"Now, Rach," Shelby said more gently.

Blushing, Rachel gathered her bra, t-shirt, and shorts close to her chest and slipped passed her mother, but not before the woman landed a stinging swat to her bottom. Rachel hissed, having no other protection other than her pink underwear on.

"I understand you are frustrated, but I don't want to hear any more foul language from your mouth. Is that understood?" Shelby said as she removed the trash bags from the girl's arm.

"Yes, ma'am," Rachel replied quietly, holding her clothes closer to her bare chest. "I'm sorry," she added, stealing a glance up into the hazel eyes of her mother before hanging her head.

"Thank you, baby," Shelby said, kissing Rachel's wet head before gently disentangling the girl's clothes from her tight grasp.

Shelby had Rachel dressed in a matter of minutes and then sat the girl down on the bed while she towel dried her hair. Rachel remained subdued as her mom dried her hair and then began brushing it out.

**Open Arms * Open Arms * Open Arms **

Shelby and Rachel were again laying on the lounge later that day watching _The Little Mermaid_—Rachel had said it was her favorite to watch when she wasn't feeling good, which Shelby tucked away for future reference—when the doorbell rang.

Rachel had just gotten comfortable—or as comfortable as she could get with the huge cast on her arm—when the doorbell sounded and she groaned. "Who the hell is ringing the bell now?" she asked herself quietly.

"_Rachel!_" Shelby scolded, popping the girl's bottom smartly. She wasn't at all sure where all the mouth was coming from today, but it needed to stop—_now_.

"Ow! Mommy!" Rachel whined, squirming. She wasn't able to reach back to rub with the way she was laying.

"No more cursing, Rachel. I mean it, young lady. Next foul word that comes out of your mouth, and I promise I will make you regret it," Shelby said firmly, pointing her finger at her child.

"Yes, ma'am," Rachel said when her mother continued to glare at her. She squirmed a bit more under her gaze and tried to sink into the sofa.

The doorbell rang again and Shelby finally broke off her glare to go answer it.

"Mom? Daddy? What are you guys doing here?" she asked when she opened the door to her parents.

"We wanted to come see how our granddaughter was doing," John said, kissing Shelby's cheek in greeting. "And you, for that matter," he added.

"Hello sweetheart," Diane said as she walked into the house past Shelby.

"What's in the bag, Ma?" Shelby asked as she followed her parents into the living room. Her mother made her way into the kitchen to set the paper bag on the island before returning to fuss over Rachel.

"I brought everything to make spaghetti and meatballs. I bought some fresh Italian bread to make cheesy garlic bread too. You haven't eaten yet, have you?," Diane replied as she hugged Rachel.

"Mom, you didn't have to do that," Shelby said, shaking her head. "And no, we haven't. Not since breakfast, actually," Shelby added, trailing off.

"Shelby! You haven't fed that child since _breakfast_? Thank goodness your father and I came then!" Diane said, wagging her finger at her youngest.

"Mom, I—it was a late breakfast!" Shelby said in her defense.

"That's no excuse, Shelby Elizabeth! You're lucky I don't have my slipper on me!" Diane said.

"Mom! I was…We were going to eat soon," Shelby said.

"Come help me with dinner, Shelby," Diane said, grabbing Shelby's arm and turning her towards the kitchen. She landed a quick swat to her daughter's bottom to get her moving faster.

"Mama!" Shelby whined, reminding herself of Rachel in this moment. She could hear her daughter laugh behind her and turned to scowl at her. Rachel ducked her head and gave her a sheepish smile in return.

Diane smiled at hearing Shelby call her "mama"—she hadn't heard that name from her youngest in a very long time. It was nice to know she daughter was still her baby, no matter how old she got.

John watched the exchange between his wife and youngest with mirth. Some things never changed. He then noticed his granddaughter was loving it just as much as he.

"Nana swatted Mom!" Rachel said, giggling. She just couldn't help but find it funny that her grandmother swatted her mother, especially since Shelby had just swatted Rachel not five minutes ago.

"Just goes to show you, Rach—don't mess with Nana, no matter how old you are!" he said with a chuckle.

Diane and Shelby soon had dinner on the table and the four of them ate happily. Shelby cut up Rachel's spaghetti so that it was easier to pick up on her fork. Rachel didn't mind her mom cutting up her food this time around—she really did have trouble doing things by herself. Besides, she kind of liked all the attention.

After the dishes were put in the dishwasher and the leftovers placed in Tupperware containers, Diane surprised the girls with homemade chocolate chip cookies.

Rachel found herself again laying on the sofa later, her head on Nana's lap as her grandmother rubbed her head and talked with her mother and grandfather. Rachel was happy to just sit and listen. Her mother gave her another pill after dinner, and between that and Nana's soft caresses, Rachel was soon fighting to stay awake.

"I think she'll be asleep in a matter of minutes. Do you want to try getting her to bed?" John said quietly to Shelby.

"I think I'll let her lay there for awhile. It's only a little after eight. And she took a long nap earlier. The medicine makes her drowsy though," Shelby replied just as quietly.

"Poor dear," Diane cooed, running her fingers over Rachel's forehead lightly.

"The doctor told me to try to keep her as quiet as possible for at least the first few days. And she isn't supposed to do a whole lot of physical activity until the cast comes off in six weeks. I'm going to try keeping her in the house this week," Shelby said.

Rachel's head was getting foggy with sleep, but she was still able to hear what was going on for the most part, and she did not _like_ the thought of staying inside all week. That wasn't fair.

"Mommy, no," she whined, squinting her eyes at her mother. "Don't make me stay inside all week. It'll get boring!"

"Shh, Rach," Shelby soothed.

"Mommy!" Rachel pouted, feeling tears of frustration welling in her eyes.

Shelby quickly exited the armchair and made her way over to the sofa, helping Rachel sit up. She then maneuvered the girl onto her lap, being careful of her arm. She could feel Rachel begin to relax and gave a sigh of relief. "I promise I'll find stuff for us to do. And I'll call Aunt Sarah and see if Lexi can't come over to hang out some this week. Will that make you feel better?" she said softly into Rachel's ear.

"Mom…this sucks," Rachel pouted.

"I know, baby. I know," Shelby placated, kissing her head softly. She began to sing softly, rocking her baby gently.

**Open Arms * Open Arms * Open Arms **

Rachel was excited the next morning. She slept in until nine-thirty, which surprised her since she vaguely remembered her mother putting her to bed around nine the night before. That stupid medicine kept making her so sleepy. It helped with the pain, but Rachel really hated the groggy feeling it gave her.

Rachel refused to take any medicine after breakfast this morning because she wanted to be awake when Lexi got there. Aunt Sarah should be dropping her off any minute now. Rachel kept pacing the living room, looking out the window every few seconds.

"Rach, she'll be here soon. Why don't you sit down?" Shelby said, peeking into the living room. Rachel had been pacing for a good twenty minutes so far. The girl needed to calm down and sit quietly—something that she didn't know how to do.

"I'm fine," Rachel said, brushing off her mother's suggestion. She didn't need to sit. She wanted to see if Lexi was here yet!

Rachel's heart rate quicken when she saw her aunt's van pull up. Lexi was here! _Finally_! Rachel bounded to the door—being scolded by Shelby on the way—and flung the door open. She expected Lexi to run up to the door right away. She did no such thing. Rachel was confused when she saw her cousin not walking towards the door, but instead towards the side of the yard. Her blood ran cold when she saw her cousin wave to none other than Quinn Fabray. She slammed the door shut when Lexi hugged Quinn.

Shelby heard the door slam and came to investigate. Rachel was stomping towards the stairs and Lexi was nowhere to be seen. "Rach, what's wrong?" she asked, confused.

"I'm going to my room!" Rachel snapped, fuming. When she got to her room, she slammed that door shut too.

Shelby flinched at the sound and stared up the stairs completely flabbergasted. What on earth was wrong with her daughter? She shook her head and opened the front door, waving to Sarah as she stepped outside.

"Hi Aunt Shel!" Lexi called, grinning ear to ear.

"Hi sweetie. I see you've met our neighbor, Quinn," Shelby said as she made her way over to the two teenagers.

"Oh me and Quinn already know each other! We went to cheer camp together in middle school! I was just saying hi to her. I didn't know you guys lived next door to each other!" Lexi replied.

"Oh! That's wonderful! So you all three know each other, what a small world! Quinn, you are more than welcome to hang out with the girls today, if you want. My house is always open to you," Shelby said, smiling at the blonde kindly. She didn't get to talk to the teen much, but from what she saw of her and Frannie, Shelby automatically liked both Fabrays. Quinn seemed like a sweet girl.

"Thank you, Ms. Corcoran," Quinn said, smiling sweetly. She was in awe of Shelby Corcoran, and not just because she was a famous actress. For the last few days, Quinn had been watching Shelby's interactions with Berry. How Rachel Berry got a mother like Shelby Corcoran, Quinn would never know. She wouldn't admit this to anyone, but she was jealous of Rachel. Quinn missed her own parents very much. They had died three years ago when Quinn was twelve, leaving her to be raised by her older sister. Quinn loved Frannie, but she missed the special bond that only a mother and daughter can share.

"Oh sweetheart, call me Shelby."

Quinn could feel her heart flutter a bit at Shelby Corcoran telling her she could call her by her first name. She wanted so badly for this woman to like her…but that meant being nice to Berry. Quinn wasn't at all sure if she could do that, but she figured she could at least try.

"Come hang out with us, Quinn. I'm sure Rachel won't mind," Lexi said.

"I…Ok. I'll be over in a sec," Quinn said before running up to her house and going inside. She needed to text Santana and tell her she was about to go into Shelby Corcoran's house!

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**I hope you all enjoyed this chapter! I know it's been a few weeks since my last update. Real life gets in the way unfortunately. I hope it proves to have been worth the wait! **

**Thoughts on how Rachel will react to having Quinn in her house? Do you think Quinn really can be nice to Rachel? And how will Lexi react? Or Shelby? Hmm...next chapter will have lots of drama. **

**As always, reviews are welcome! **


	10. Jealousy

**Hey everyone! I know it's been a long time since I last updated. I was in the middle of interviewing for my first ever big girl job. I went on four interviews for one company—it was terrifying and hectic and intense and did I mention terrifying? I got the job, which I just started this week! Oh, and I turned 24 in between. And started dating someone. So I've been REALLY busy. And this chapter refused to be written for the longest time. I am just as happy as all of you that I have an update. And I am going to try to get the next chapter out more quickly, but I make no promises. My life is a little hectic at the moment. **

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**Chapter Ten: Jealousy **

Rachel stomped over to her window and glared down at the front yard. She felt angry tears sting her eyes when Lexi leaned over the fence to wrap her arms around Quinn and hug her. It just wasn't fair. Lexi was _her_ cousin and there she was hugging her enemy. They looked thick as thieves out there talking and laughing.

Rachel was about to turn away from the window and crawl into bed when she saw her mother join the girls. _Good, tell Lexi to come in!_ Rachel thought to herself. _And tell Quinn where she can go_, she added spitefully.

It didn't look like Shelby was doing anything Rachel was hoping for. No, she was actually chatting with the girls and looked like she was laughing. After another minute, Rachel watched as Quinn ran off to her house and Lexi and Shelby turned towards the house. Rachel's mood improved slightly—maybe her mom really did tell Quinn where to go! It would explain the girl's dash into the house, that was for sure!

Shelby wrapped her arm around her niece's shoulder and guided them into the house. "Lex, make yourself at home. I just have to go check on Rachel. We'll be down in a minute," she said as she pushed the girl towards the living room before heading up the stairs to her daughter's bedroom.

Rachel heard a knock at her door and turned in time to see her mom peek her head inside. "Hey baby, is everything ok?" Shelby asked.

"Yeah Mom, everything's great!" Rachel said with a huge grin on her face as she skipped past her mother and down the stairs, leaving Shelby to stare after her in a state of confusion once again.

Rachel was just about to head into the living room with Lexi when the doorbell rang and she changed directions. Who could be here now?

"What the hell are _you_ doing here?" Rachel asked as soon as she opened the door to see none other than Quinn Fabray on her doorstep.

"Well hello to you too, Berry," Quinn quipped.

Rachel was ready to slam the door in the smug blonde's face, but her mother joined her at the door and gently moved her aside while saying, "Come on in, Quinn."

Shelby missed the look of contempt Rachel was throwing in Quinn's direction, but Quinn certainly didn't. She felt a pang of guilt—she couldn't exactly blame Rachel for looking at her that way. She made it a point to make Rachel's life hell in school. The girl just was so damn sure of herself and always talked about making it on Broadway, making everyone else jealous that they'd probably never leave Lima. But Quinn had been watching Rachel and Shelby interacting since they moved in and Rachel seemed different somehow.

Deciding to ignore Rachel's look for the moment, Quinn stepped inside the house with a big grin on her face. "Thanks again for inviting me over, Ms. Shelby," she said sweetly, letting the woman pull her in for a quick hug.

Rachel's mouth dropped open in shock. Her mother _invited_ Quinn over? And now she was _hugging_ her? As if Quinn being friendly with her cousin wasn't enough, now she was setting her sights on her mother too?

Rachel wanted to scream and yell, stomp her feet and demand Quinn get the hell out of her house. But she also didn't want her mother to know about the bullying at school. She'd have to play it cool for a while until she could figure out how to get Quinn to leave.

**Open Arms * Open Arms * Open Arms**

Lexi couldn't figure out what was wrong with Rachel. They had been hanging out for close to three hours now and Rachel was in a serious mood. The three girls were downstairs in the family room and Rachel was refusing to even acknowledge Lexi and Quinn now. The girl sat at the piano trying to play it with one hand while singing softly to herself. Lexi just shook her head and tried to ignore her.

Rachel glared at Quinn while she sang to herself. It was the perfect song for this occasion.

_Let's just say, I loathe it all!  
__Every little trait, however small  
__Makes my very flesh begin to crawl  
__With simple utter loathing  
__There's a strange exhilaration  
__In such total detestation  
__It's so pure, so strong!  
__Though I do admit it came on fast  
__Still I do believe that it can last  
__And I will be loathing  
__Loathing you  
__My whole life long!_

"Rachel, what is your problem?" Lexi finally asked. She was just getting annoyed with her cousin.

"I don't _have_ a problem," Rachel replied angrily. What was _Lexi's_ problem? She's the one who was ignoring her and paying attention to Quinn. She was _her_ cousin—she should be on _her_ side!

"Ugh!" Lexi huffed, throwing her hands up in frustration.

"Where are you going?" Rachel complained, watching as her cousin got up from the sofa and made her way towards the stairs.

"I need to get away from you for a minute!" Lexi retorted angrily.

"You need to get away from _me_? Lexi!" Rachel called after her.

"Shut! Up!" Lexi yelled.

"Whoa, hey. What's going on?" Shelby asked as her niece stomped up the stairs huffing.

"Rachel is just—UGH! She's being a total brat!" Lexi complained, going over to the fridge to pull out a bottle of water.

"What is she doing?" Shelby asked, surprised. She knew her daughter had been in a mood this morning, but she thought she had gotten over it.

"I want to punch her!" Lexi said, ignoring her aunt.

"Lex," Shelby scolded gently.

Lexi finally looked at her Aunt Shelby and sighed. "I won't really, Aunt Shel. I just…I don't know what's wrong with her. She's been in a mood all day! Quinn and I have been trying to get her to hang out with us, but she just keeps ignoring us or saying shi—crap under her breath," Lexi said, blushing slightly at her aunt's warning glance she was now receiving.

"I'll talk to her. You stay up here and calm down for a minute," Shelby said, giving her niece a firm pat to her bottom as she passed. She smirked at the astonished look Lexi had given her as she walked away. It was the first time Shelby had ever swatted Lexi, but she would have swatted Rachel for doing the same, so she had no problem doing the same to her niece now.

"Rachel," Shelby called as she made her way down the stairs. She turned the corner and could feel the tension in the room. Blonde and brunette weren't talking but were simple staring off into opposite directions and ignoring the other.

"Rach, I think it's time for you to take a pill and lay down for a nap," Shelby said.

Rachel blushed and glanced over at Quinn, who was smirking. "I don't need a nap," Rachel huffed, glaring daggers at Quinn.

"I think you do, baby. You're coming upstairs with me after I throw a load in the washer," Shelby said gently, moving towards the laundry room.

Quinn giggled meanly at Rachel being treated like a little kid. She couldn't even feel the slightest bit guilty about it—Rachel had been awful to her all day, even though Quinn was trying her best to be nice!

"Shut up," Rachel said angrily.

"Jesus, what's your problem, Man Hands?" Quinn retorted just as angrily.

Rachel saw red. As if Quinn being in _her_ house and stealing _her_ cousin wasn't enough, she now had to start using that awful name that everyone at school called her. Rachel had had enough.

"Fuck you, Quinn Fabray!" Rachel screamed, standing and taking a few steps towards the smug blonde.

For her part, Quinn was taken aback. She knew she shouldn't have called the girl Man Hands, especially not in her own house, but Quinn was angry and tired of Rachel's attitude. She was doing her best to be nice and Rachel kept throwing it back in her face. Quinn was surprised that she got that kind of rise out of Rachel. After all, it wasn't the first time she had called her names before. Rachel never so much as flinched at school. She would simply hold her head high and walk away. But now…now the girl's face was turning red and she was shaking with suppressed rage as she made her way toward Quinn.

Shelby heard Rachel yell from the other room and was shocked at what came out of her daughter's mouth. Her shock quickly turned to anger as she made her way back into the main room.

"Rachel Barbra Corcoran, did I just hear what I think I did?" Shelby scolded, placing her hands on her hips and glaring at her daughter.

Rachel was still too angry to realize she shouldn't do what she was about to. She hardly even heard her mother's angry voice as she stalked towards Quinn. Once she was within reach, Rachel hauled off and slapped the blonde hard across the face. She felt such satisfaction at seeing Quinn's shocked expression as she reached up to cup the side of her face. Rachel even left a little pink handprint.

"Rachel!" Shelby yelled, grabbing Rachel by her arm and yanking her away from the blonde. "What is wrong with you?"

"She started it!" Rachel argued, pointing towards Quinn who was milking the victim card for all it was worth. The girl held her hand to her cheek as her eyes filled with unshed tears.

"I saw you slap her, Rachel!" Shelby said angrily, turning her attention to Quinn. "Are you okay, sweetie?" she asked the girl, rubbing her arm comfortingly.

"I-I'm fine, Ms. Shelby," Quinn mumbled, sniffling. Rachel really smacked her hard! Quinn was torn between being angry with Rachel and wanting nothing more than to punch her in the mouth and being thrilled that Shelby Corcoran was running a gentle hand over her arm to comfort her and not wanting the woman to stop.

"Oh sweetie," Shelby soothed, pulling the girl in for a hug. She ran a hand up and down the teen's back a few times like she would do for Rachel.

"Bitch," Rachel hissed quietly—or what she thought was quietly. It was anything but.

Shelby sucked in a breath and pulled away from the blonde. "That is enough, Rachel," she said as she took a firm hold on her daughter's left arm. "Upstairs. Right now!" she added, pulling Rachel along with her towards the stairs.

"I am appalled at the language you used just now. It was vile, Rachel. We do not use the f-word, ever. And I've given you enough warnings about cursing in general. You know better," Shelby scolded as she and Rachel made their way into the kitchen. Shelby silently motioned for Lexi to go back downstairs to leave her alone with her daughter. Lexi needn't be told twice and quickly exited the room, not liking the ominous look on her aunt's face.

"But Mom, she—"

"There is no excuse, Rachel," Shelby interrupted, grabbing a barstool and pulling it around the island so it was sitting near the sink. "Sit," she ordered.

Rachel looked at her mom sadly, but climbed up onto the stool to do as she was told. She watched as her mom reached over to grab the bottle of _Dawn_ apple blossom scented dish soap from the sink and turn back towards her. She didn't like the look her mother was giving her.

"Stick out your tongue, Rachel," said Shelby sternly.

"Why?" Rachel asked suspiciously as she watched her mother squeeze a drop of dish soap onto her finger.

"So I can put this soap in your mouth as punishment," Shelby replied. "Now stick out your tongue."

"No," Rachel said, shaking her head.

"Rachel—"

"Mom, it's...Isn't it like…toxic?" Rachel said uncertainly. She needed to find a way out of this situation, and quickly. "I won't say it again!" she added.

As upset as Shelby was with her daughter, she couldn't help but laugh at her statement. "It's not toxic, Rach. We use it on our dishes all the time," she said, moving closer to her daughter.

"But—but Mom, you aren't supposed to get soap in your mouth! It can like…hurt you. There's warnings on soap—stuff about calling Poison Control!" Rachel insisted, biting her lip as her mom stepped closer.

"You aren't going to swallow it, Rachel. Just hold it on your tongue for thirty seconds. And look, there's nothing about Poison Control," Shelby said, holding out the bottle to her daughter.

Rachel took it and turned it over to see the warnings. Her face fell when she read the following: _In case of accidental indigestion, drink a glass of water to dilute_. Crap. She wasn't getting out of this. Well…maybe there was still a chance. Rachel set the bottle behind her on the island counter, using those few seconds to muster up a few fake tears. When she turned back around to face her mother, she gave her a watery, innocent look.

"Mommy, I really am sorry. I promise I won't say that word again," she said, a tear now falling down her face.

"Rachel, open your mouth," Shelby said. She knew her daughter was trying to stall to figure out a way to not have to open her mouth, but Shelby had had enough of it.

Rachel shook her head once more and let a few more tears fall. Shelby leveled her with a stern glance and raised eyebrow.

"Rachel, _now_," she said firmly. When Rachel still didn't open her mouth, Shelby slapped the side of her thigh hard.

"Ow!" Rachel cried, immediately reaching down to rub the sting out.

Shelby used that opportunity to stick her finger in her daughter's open mouth and wipe the soap on her tongue.

Rachel gagged and gave her mom a cold look. She started to get off the stool so she could spit the soap out, but her mother held her firmly by her upper arms and kept her seated.

"No you don't. You're going to sit there for thirty seconds and think about how disgusting words like the ones you used make you sound to others," Shelby said firmly.

"Mommy," Rachel whined, sticking her tongue out in an attempt to get rid of the soap. It was awful and was spreading across her tongue now. She didn't want to swallow, so her spit was mixing and making the soap foam up some. She gagged a bit when the taste got to the back of her tongue.

"Close your mouth, Rachel. You deserve this punishment, young lady. I warned you about cursing, and I promised I'd make you regret it the next time a foul word came out of your mouth. I wasn't expecting the word you used to come out, but it all stops now," Shelby said, still holding her daughter by her arms. Not only did it ensure Rachel would sit still, but it allowed her to be at Rachel's eye level so she could look the girl directly in the eyes.

Rachel now had real tears welling in her eyes. The potent taste of the soap was only getting worse with each passing second, and she wondered if her mother wasn't making her keep it in her mouth for longer than thirty seconds. Or perhaps she was counting extra slow.

Shelby watched as her daughter teared up and squirmed on the seat. She felt for her little girl, knowing how bad soap in the mouth tasted, but she knew it would leave a lasting impression on her—it had on Shelby, after all. When she counted twenty-five seconds in her head, Shelby moved to grab a glass from the cabinet and filled it with water.

Rachel watched her mother through blurry eyes as she filled a glass of water and turned back towards her. She wanted to spit so badly and was having a hard time remaining seated.

"Here, rinse," Shelby said gently, handing Rachel the glass. Rachel took it greedily and rushed to the sink.

"Mom, it's making it worse!" Rachel whined, having already rinsed her mouth several times with water. The water just made the soap taste stronger.

"I hope it teaches you a lesson, Rachel. I never want to hear that word come out of your mouth again, do you understand?"

"Yes ma'am, I promise!" Rachel said, blinking back tears.

"Good girl," Shelby said, wrapping her arms around her little girl. She felt Rachel melt into her arms and smiled. "I love you, Rachel," she whispered, kissing her head.

"Love you too," Rachel said. "I'm sorry I cussed." She really was sorry she had cussed since it meant getting soap in her mouth. That was awful. Rachel thought ruefully about the fact that up until now, she had thought the apple dish soap smelled nice. Not any more! Rachel wasn't sure she'd ever get the taste out of her mouth.

"Thank you, baby. You're going to apologize to Quinn after we talk about what made you yell and slap her," Shelby said.

"What? No!" Rachel yelled, pulling back from her mother angrily.

"Excuse me, young lady? You will not tell me no," Shelby scolded, raising her eyebrow yet again.

"I don't want to apologize to her," Rachel huffed.

"She deserves an apology, Rachel. Now tell me what happened," Shelby replied firmly.

"It's not fair, Mom! Why are you punishing me for what Quinn did?" Rachel argued, swiping at her eyes angrily.

"You haven't told me what Quinn has done yet, Rachel. And I'm not punishing you for what she did—I'm punishing you for what _you've_ done. Regardless of what Quinn said or did, you were wrong for reacting that way. That's why you had your mouth washed out and it's why we're going to talk about it now and then you're going to go back downstairs and apologize to her," Shelby said calmly.

"I don't want to talk about it," Rachel mumbled with a pout.

"Then I think you need to go to your room," Shelby said after a moment of silence. She didn't want to fight with her daughter, but she also wasn't going to let her get away with her behavior. If she refused to talk about it and apologize to Quinn, then she would go to her room.

"What? Mom, no!" Rachel whined.

"I was going to make you take a nap anyway because Lexi said you were being cranky—"

"What does she know? And I'm _not_ cranky!" argued Rachel.

"You are certainly in a mood and I have no idea what is causing it. And after your behavior just now, I think a bit of a time out is appropriate," Shelby said firmly.

"Mom, no! That's not fair! I'm not five!" Rachel whined. This just wasn't fair!

"It is fair, Rachel. Either you talk to me and apologize to Quinn or you spend some time in your room thinking about your behavior and how you can improve your attitude," answered Shelby.

"What can't Quinn go home?"

"Because she isn't the one causing problems, Rachel."

"The hell she isn't!" Rachel said angrily. She paled when a hard look crossed her mother's face. She had just crossed the invisible line and she knew it.

Shelby sighed and began to reach for the girl, but Rachel was faster and made a mad dash for the hall and then the stairs.

Shelby closed her eyes and pinched the bridge of her nose. She was going to follow after her child in a moment, but she needed to calm down before she went upstairs.

Rachel's heart was beating rapidly by the time she made it to her room. She knew her mother would be coming up any minute, but for right now she was safe. She also knew that she should not have said what she just did. She really hadn't meant to cuss again, especially after just getting her mouth washed out—the taste was still horridly potent. She was so angry though—she was angry at Lexi for being so friendly with Quinn, angry with her mom for being nice to the girl, and angry with Quinn for causing all the problems in the first place.

Shelby made her way into her daughter's room five minutes later carrying her daughter's pain medicine in one hand and a glass of apple juice in the other. She shook her head when her child noticed her in the doorway and immediately ducked under her covers in an attempt to hide from her.

Rachel felt the mattress sink as her mother sat down next to her. She scooted further down under her blankets and gulped, dreading the moment when her mom made her come out of hiding.

"Rachel," Shelby said in a gentle but firm voice, setting the medicine and juice on Rachel's nightstand. She had calmed down considerably in the few minutes she had taken to come confront her child and no longer wanted to immediately turn her darling daughter over her knee. She would if the girl continued with her attitude and cursing, but it looked like Rachel's fight had gone out of her.

Rachel's heart pounded inside her chest. She bit her lip and wished she could be anywhere else at this moment. She knew she couldn't avoid her mother for much longer.

Shelby gently pulled back the covers when her daughter gave no response and was met with the guilty face of her fourteen year old. Rachel barely met her eyes before casting them down at her lap.

"Rachel, I don't understand why you are acting this way, and I can't help you if you won't tell me what's wrong. Would you like to tell me what's going on now?" Shelby said calmly.

Rachel chewed on her lower lip and refused to look at her mother. She didn't know what to say. She certainly couldn't tell her the real reason for her behavior. Then her mom would know that she was a loser. What if she wanted to get rid of her?

Shelby watched as her daughter fought internally with herself. She could tell something was wrong, but if the girl refused to talk to her, there was no way she could fix it. She could only go on the information she had available, and so far that was that Rachel was in a mood and was acting out because of it.

Rachel finally just shook her head and heard her mom sigh.

"Alright Rachel, if you have nothing to say, then I can only go on what I've seen today. I'm very upset with your behavior, and I think you know that. Clearly the soap wasn't enough to deter you from cussing, so you are now grounded for the rest of the day," Shelby said. She watched as Rachel's eyes began to fill with tears and felt her heart break for her child. But Rachel's behavior was unacceptable and she needed to be punished for that. Shelby had to hand out this sentence and hope that it got through to her daughter.

"I love you Rachel, but I won't let you get away with this behavior. Do you understand that?" she asked, reaching over to tuck a stray strand of hair behind Rachel's ear.

Rachel sniffed and nodded. She really did know that she crossed the line, and she was expecting some sort of punishment. Honestly, she was expecting to be spanked. Her mom had gotten that same look on her face as she did the day Rachel had snuck out to go to Central Park. When she had reached for her downstairs, Rachel had panicked and ran for safety. She was preparing herself for a spanking when she saw her mother in the doorway. She didn't like the idea of being grounded for the rest of the day, but it was better than trying to get comfortable with a sore bottom—especially since it was hard enough to get comfortable with the cast.

"Here, I want you to take some medicine and then lay down for a nap," Shelby said as she got a pill ready. She handed that to Rachel first before handing her the glass. She made sure Rachel had a secure grip on it before letting go and then took it back straight away when the girl was done.

Rachel sighed and settled back onto her pillows, letting her mother adjust the extra pillows she propped her right arm on. Rachel then reached for Henry and tucked him up to her left cheek while she ran her fingers through his furry mane.

"I'll come check on you in a few hours, but if you wake up before then, I want you to stay in your room until I come for you. Stay off your phone and iPod as well—remember, you're being punished," said Shelby, leaning over to kiss Rachel's head after tucking the covers around her.

Shelby ran her fingers through Rachel's hair a few times before getting up and leaving the room, shutting the door behind her. She wished her daughter would have opened up and told her what was wrong, but she was hoping after a nap and some time alone, the girl would change her mind.

"So what the heck happened down here? Aunt Shelby looks _pissed_!" Lexi said as soon as she reached the bottom of the steps.

"I…Nothing," Quinn mumbled, still rubbing her cheek.

"Did Rachel hit you?" Lexi asked, astounded. She knew Rachel was being a brat today and was annoyed with her, but she would have never thought Rachel would have hit Quinn!

"It's nothing. Don't worry about it," Quinn replied. She was angry, but now she was also worried. She was in Berry's house and she still wanted Shelby to like her. If Rachel told her mom what really happened, Quinn would never be allowed to come over again.

"It is not nothing! I can't believe Rachel! She's been rude to you all day! It's pissing me off!" Lexi said, agitated.

"Your aunt is going to send me home, I just know it," Quinn groaned. She had screwed this up. She should have kept her mouth shut and not said anything to Berry.

"Aunt Shel wouldn't make you leave. You've been nothing but nice to Rachel," Lexi replied.

Quinn became lost in her thoughts and ignored Lexi's attempts to get her to talk. She just wanted to sit here and worry. Her heart rate accelerated rapidly when she heard footsteps on the stairs and then saw Shelby appear on the landing. She had come to tell Quinn to get the hell out of her house and never come back, Quinn just knew it.

"Hey girls, I'm gonna make some popcorn. Want any?" Shelby asked and smiled when both teens nodded. "C'mon up then," she said as she turned on her heel and made her way back upstairs.

Five minutes later, Shelby found herself sitting on the sofa with the two teens while the opening credits of _The Breakfast Club_ played. Lexi had picked the movie because she said she had never seen it and Quinn said she hadn't either. Shelby was speechless at discovering this and said they had no choice but to watch.

**Open Arms * Open Arms * Open Arms**

"Mooooooom," Rachel whined later that night when her mother turned the tv off for the third time.

"No tv, Rach. I won't tell you again," Shelby said firmly.

"But I'm bored," Rachel replied, looking dejectedly at her mother. The woman was being so unfair! Rachel had been on her best behavior since her mom released her from solitary confinement at four-thirty. Rachel was thrilled that Quinn had left by then, but had been surprised to find that Lexi had gone home as well. Shelby had explained that Rachel was still sleeping and she hadn't wanted to wake her up. She added that she hoped the nap had helped the girl's attitude, which had made Rachel blush. She immediately apologized to her mom for all the cussing, and had greedily latched onto the proffered hug that followed.

"Then read a book," Shelby suggested.

Rachel sighed dramatically, which made Shelby roll her eyes. "I don't want to read," whined the teen.

"You can always go to bed," Shelby replied with a raised eyebrow. Her daughter chose to ignore it and geared up for a loud whine.

"Mooooom! Don't make me go to bed—it's only eight," Rachel pouted. "Besides, how can I read with only one hand? I won't be able to hold the book."

It was Shelby's turn to sigh. She couldn't wait until this day was over. She had to admit that Rachel's attitude had completely disappeared once it was just the two of them again, but she was still frustrated with the events of the afternoon. She really wanted to know the reason behind her daughter's attitude, but the girl still refused to tell her.

"You're going to bed at nine tonight anyway," Shelby said.

"But Mom, that's not fair!"

"You made your own choices today, Rachel. You have to deal with the consequences. Now go get ready for bed," Shelby said firmly.

"No, Mom! I'm sorry! Don't make me go to bed yet!" Rachel pleaded. Nine o'clock was too early to go to bed, but eight was ridiculous. Besides, she had spent the majority of the day in her room and she didn't want to be sent back there again so soon. She loved her room, but not when she was forced to stay there as punishment.

"Upstairs, Rachel. I'll be up in a few minutes," Shelby replied.

Rachel let out a long, defeated sigh. She knew she had lost the battle and fighting it anymore would only result in bad things for her.

Shelby watched Rachel get up slowly from the sofa and drag her feet to the stairs. Shaking her head, she hurried the girl along with a few soft pats to her bottom.

Getting ready for bed took at least three times as long as it normally would because of her stupid cast. Rachel hated it. She couldn't wait to get it off—six weeks couldn't come fast enough! After fifteen minutes, Rachel finally had her face washed and teeth brushed. She walked back into her room to find her mother waiting for her on her bed. She was holding a book and smiling at her.

"What are you doing? I thought you were making me go to bed," Rachel pouted.

"I brought up my favorite book when I was your age and am going to read to you since you said you can't hold the book. I wanted you to be comfortable though," Shelby said, still smiling.

"Why couldn't you have told me that downstairs? You made me think I was in trouble again," Rachel whined.

"It was more fun this way," Shelby replied, earning a huff from her fourteen year old. "Do you want help changing into your pajamas?" she added when the girl started struggling with her shorts. Rachel simply nodded and Shelby immediately set the book down on the bed so she could help.

Shelby made quick work of getting Rachel out of her shorts and tank and into the too-big t-shirt of Shelby's before motioning for Rachel to climb in bed. Once Rachel was settled, Shelby grabbed the book from the bottom of the bed and got comfortable, pulling the blankets up around both of them.

Rachel found Henry under the covers and snuggled up to her mother, breathing in her scent. She met her mom's eyes for a moment and smiled.

Shelby returned her daughter's smile and placed a kiss on her temple before opening up _Pride and Prejudice_.

Shelby was just beginning the third chapter when she looked over and noticed that Rachel had fallen asleep. She smiled and marked the page so they could return to it another night. Her little girl had been whining about being sent to bed at nine and it wasn't even eighty-forty yet.

"Goodnight, my angel," she whispered as she leaned over to kiss her daughter's head before carefully climbing out of bed.

**Open Arms * Open Arms * Open Arms**

Rachel pouted in the front seat of her mother's Honda CR-V as they drove to Sarah and Jack's house at eleven-thirty Friday morning. Shelby needed to run a few errands before going grocery shopping for the cookout she was planning the next day. She had invited the whole family as well as a few of the neighbors over for a belated Fourth of July/house warming party. Rachel was not happy about having to go hang out with Lexi while her mom went out. She had talked a bit with Lexi since Tuesday, but the conversations were strained. It was clear both girls were still a bit annoyed with each other but neither wanted to actually talk about it.

"Why couldn't I just stay home?" Rachel asked.

"Rachel," Shelby sighed, exasperated. They had been over this a dozen times already. "I will be gone for three hours at least and I am not leaving you at the house alone for that long while you have a broken arm."

"But Mom—"

"No arguing, Rachel. You're going to Aunt Sarah's and Uncle Jack's whether you like it or not," Shelby said in a tone that left no room for arguments.

"Why can't I go with you then?" Rachel asked, changing tactics.

"I thought you'd like getting to hang out with Lexi?" Shelby asked in return.

"I don't want to hang out with Lexi," Rachel mumbled in a low tone.

Shelby sighed. She knew that Lexi and Rachel were still at odds after Tuesday, which is why she and Sarah decided the girls needed to spend some time together today and get things straightened out. They weren't naïve, they knew the girls would bicker and get into fights because they were cousins and that's what cousins did, but they also didn't want them to drag it out and refuse to speak to each other. A bit of time together today would do both girls some good.

Shelby pulled up out front of her brother's split-level and cut the engine. She was already out and walking towards the house when she realized Rachel wasn't behind her. Sighing, she turned back to find her daughter still sulking in the car.

"Rachel, get out of the car," Shelby said as she opened the passenger side door and looked in at her petulant child.

When Rachel made no move to get out of the car, Shelby reached in and unbuckled the girl's seat belt before gently tugging on her arm until Rachel huffed and relented.

Sarah greeted them at the door before they even made it all the way to the threshold. "Rachel sweetie, I'm so glad you're going to spend the day with us," she said as she pulled the sullen teen to her for a hug. She kissed the girl's head and rubbed her back, smiling when Rachel melted into her embrace.

"Thanks for watching her, Sar. I'll be out for three hours, maybe four. Call me if you need me," Shelby told her sister-in-law.

"She'll be fine, Shel. You go do what you need to and don't worry about us," Sarah said as she waved the younger woman off.

Shelby smiled and turned to her daughter. "Be good, Rach," she said with a kiss to the girl's head. "Cya later!"

"Lex is in the family room, Rach. Why don't you head downstairs?" Sarah said as she led the girl into the house. She gave the girl a gentle nudge towards the lower stairs while she started up to the first floor.

Lexi heard her mother tell Rachel to come downstairs and sighed. She wasn't particularly happy that her cousin was over after how bratty she had been all day Tuesday. When her mother had told her last night that Rachel would be over, Lexi immediately texted Quinn and asked the girl if she wanted to hang out the following day, to spite Rachel. She wasn't sure what the girl's problem was with Quinn, but Lexi had fun hanging out on Tuesday with Quinn. Rachel could have had fun with them if she wasn't being so damn stubborn and annoying.

"Hi," Rachel said awkwardly once she reached the bottom of the stairs. Lexi was sitting Indian-style on the sofa with her laptop and didn't look up when Rachel appeared.

"Hey," Lexi replied, not bothering to lift her eyes from her computer screen.

Rachel sighed and plopped down on the loveseat so she could be as far away from her cousin as possible. Her cousin's orange tabby cat, Cheddar, jumped up and settled himself on Rachel's lap, purring contently. Rachel scratched him behind the ears with her left hand as he nuzzled his face against the rough plaster of her cast.

"So…what are you doing?" Rachel asked after a long pause, deciding she might as well try to make up with her cousin. She'd be the bigger person about it. Besides…she missed Lexi.

"Waiting for Quinn to get here," Lexi said, and this time she did lock eyes with her cousin so she could see the girl's reaction.

Rachel's face crumbled for a split second before she schooled her features to one of indifference.

"Why would you do that?" Rachel asked, trying to keep her tone even. She didn't want to let Lexi know how upset she really was. "She's a complete bitch!"

Lexi looked at her cousin incredulously. Was she _serious_? On Tuesday, Rachel had done everything in her power to make sure Quinn knew she wasn't exactly welcome in her house. Quinn had tried to be nice to Rachel, but Rachel wasn't having any of it. She even went so far as to hit Quinn, but Lexi still didn't know the story behind that one. Quinn never told her what happened.

"Because it's my house and Quinn is my friend," Lexi replied angrily. "And the only bitch I see right now is _you_!"

"Maybe you should look in a mirror, Lex," Rachel huffed.

Lexi narrowed her eyes dangerously and set her computer down beside her. She was so angry with Rachel right now she could hit her. It'd serve her right after what she did to Quinn the other day anyway!

"Girls! Lunch is ready!" Sarah called from upstairs, causing both girls to break their stare down.

Lexi was the first to head upstairs, not bothering to wait for Rachel. She didn't even want to look at her cousin right now. She just knew that if she did, she would smack her.

Rachel sighed and gently nudged Cheddar until he stood and stretched before jumping down onto the floor so she could stand. She followed after Lexi unhappily and hoped her mother would finish her errands earlier than planned.

Sarah could tell the girls were still at odds when they came into the kitchen a moment later and refused to even look at each other. She sighed. She didn't want to interfere yet, but she would if things weren't settled very soon.

Sarah had no luck getting either girl to speak to the other during lunch. They would both talk to her happily enough, but they were cool towards each other. She refereed a bit when either girl would take a dig at the other. Finally, after both girls had finished their lunch, Sarah sent them off telling them she wanted them to watch a movie together. They both huffed as they got up from the table.

Rachel and Lexi both made it to the archway leading from the dining room into the living room at the same time and each fought to push the other out of the way so they could be the one to leave the room first. In the shuffle, Rachel accidentally caught Lexi in the ribs with her cast, causing the blonde to cry out in pain and anger. The girl retaliated by pushing the brunette roughly.

Rachel, already slightly unbalanced from the weight of the cast on her right arm, stumbled forward on jerky legs and fell into a small table in the hallway. She banged her head hard on the side of it as she tumbled towards the floor. The crystal vase that sat atop it wobbled back and forth before finally crashing to the floor, shattering into hundreds of tiny pieces.

Sarah heard a loud thump, immediately followed by a crash, and rushed to see what was wrong. "Girls, what was that—" Sarah started as she made her way into the room, taking in the scene all at once. Lexi stood glaring at Rachel who was sitting on her butt on the floor, her legs sprawled out in front of her. All around the girl was the broken pieces of Sarah's treasured crystal vase she had gotten while on her honeymoon in England. "What happened?"

"Rachel started it! She's been starting shit all week!" Lexi said angrily, pointing at her cousin.

"I didn't! She pushed me!" Rachel argued in a shaky voice. Her eyes watered as she rubbed the sore spot on her temple where she smacked it on her descent. She looked up to see her aunt standing in the archway, her hands on hips, looking pissed. Fortunately for her, she was staring Lexi down. Rachel was the one on the floor and hurt anyway. Her aunt couldn't possibly be angry with her.

"_She_ hit me first with her cast!" Lexi yelled.

"That was an accident!" Rachel shouted back.

"ENOUGH!" Sarah bellowed. She was done with the arguing. She knew that they had argued at Shelby's on Tuesday and had been bickering since. She was going to put an end to it right now. Enough was enough.

Sarah took a deep, calming breath before reaching forward and pulling her daughter to her. In one swift movement, she had the girl bent over and tucked under her left arm, up against her side. She then let her hand fall hard on her daughter's upturned bottom for a total of six swats.

"Ah! Mom! _Mommy_!" Lexi yelped, trying to squirm out from under her mother's arm, but her mother held her in a vice-like grip. Her bottom stung where her mother's hard hand connected and she felt tears prick at the corners of her eyes.

"Corner, right now," Sarah said as soon as she let go of her child and let the girl straighten up. Lexi blinked back tears but hastened to obey. She knew if she wasn't quick, her mom might add a few more swats for good measure.

Sarah waited to make sure her daughter was indeed standing in the corner before turning to her niece. The girl was smirking and looked extremely pleased at her cousin's predicament. _You won't be smirking in a minute, little miss_, Sarah thought to herself before she noticed the red spot on the girl's temple and her expression softened. "Are you alright, Rachel?" she asked gently, going to help the girl stand.

Rachel sniffed and stuck out her lower lip in a pout. She already had a broken arm, and now she'd have a goose egg on her forehead. Sometimes life just wasn't fair. "It hurts," she whined, wincing for emphasis.

Sarah removed Rachel's hand from the bump to check to see if she was bleeding. She wasn't, but Sarah had no doubt it would swell up and hurt like the dickens for a few days. Satisfied that the girl wasn't seriously injured, Sarah pulled Rachel to her and tucked the girl to her side just as she had Lexi. She then gave Rachel the same spanking she had given her daughter. After all, both were equally guilty and would be punished the same.

"Ow! No!" Rachel cried after the first swat, reaching her left hand back to try to protect her bottom. Her aunt simply brushed her hand aside and landed a second, harder swat directly over the same spot she just hit. "Noooo!"

After six swats were delivered, Sarah straightened Rachel up and ordered her into the empty corner directly across from the one Lexi was in.

Rachel was trying hard not to cry, but was failing miserably. She didn't think Aunt Sarah was going to be angry with her—after all, _she_ was the one who had gotten hurt—and she certainly wasn't expecting to be spanked by the woman. Besides the one swat she had gotten from Nana, the only person to have spanked Rachel was her mom. Rachel figured Nana was allowed to swat her because she was her grandmother, but surely Aunt Sarah wasn't allowed to…was she? Uncle Jack had popped her on the butt in the Emergency Room, but it hadn't hurt at all. And love pats weren't even in the same category.

Sarah could see that Rachel was working herself up far more than was warranted after such a mild spanking, but she also understood that it was the first spanking she had gotten from her aunt and was probably embarrassed. She wrapped her arms around the small teen and placed a gentle kiss to the girl's head, being careful of the red spot. Sarah felt Rachel relax into her embrace a bit and rubbed her back to calm her even more.

"Go on to the corner now, Rachel," Sarah ordered gently after the girl's cries softened. She released her and pushed her towards the empty corner, watching her take her place before addressing both girls. "I'm disappointed in both of your behaviors. You can be upset with each other, but physically fighting is wrong and it will not happen again, do you understand?"

"Yes, ma'am," Lexi mumbled, wanting to reach back to rub her bottom but not daring to do so while her mom was watching. It was a rule that no rubbing was allowed in the corner. If you did something to be sent there with a sore bottom, you deserved to feel the sting until you were released.

Rachel had never been sent to the corner before, so she wasn't exactly sure of the specifics of it. She spun at her aunt's words and stared at her with watery eyes. "I didn't mean to elbow Lexi, Aunt Sarah. It was an accident!" she said.

"Turn around, Rachel," Sarah said firmly, waiting for the girl to do as she was told. "Be that as it may, you both have been fighting since Tuesday. It will stop right now. Am I clear?"

"Yes, ma'am," both girls said.

Sarah sighed and turned towards the mess on the floor—her poor vase. Now that both teens were taken care of, she allowed herself to feel her full anger and hurt at seeing the diamond-like pieces of her priceless crystal vase scattered all over the floor.

Sarah turned back towards the girls. Lexi was wringing her hands and shifting from foot to foot. Rachel went from rubbing her bottom to rubbing her head every few seconds—she couldn't decide which hurt more at this point, and with only one good hand, she had to keep switching back and forth. Sarah shook her head and went into the kitchen.

"Put this on your head, Rach," she said a moment later as she came back into the room and handed her niece an icepack covered in a dishtowel. "And no rubbing. You deserve that sting, little girl," she added, giving the girl a light pat for emphasis. She then returned to her broken vase and grabbed the broom and dustpan, sweeping up as much as she could.

Sarah made the girls stand in the corner for another fifteen minutes while she vacuumed the living room, making sure she got up all of the broken crystal. "Alright girls," she said after she shut off the vacuum, "You're free. I want you both to behave yourselves. No more fighting."

Lexi didn't need to be told twice and immediately spun around and pulled her phone out of her pocket—she had felt it vibrate in her pocket a few minutes ago but hadn't tried to check it. A text from Quinn revealed that the girl was waiting outside.

"Lex, where are you going?" Sarah asked as her daughter made a beeline for the stairs.

"Quinn's here!" Lexi called back over her shoulder.

Rachel, still facing the corner, hunched her shoulders and blinked back a few tears. She just wanted to go home and crawl into bed, or maybe curl up on the sofa and have her mom rub her head.

"Alexandra! I'm not finished talking to you!" Sarah said sternly, following after her child.

"Mom! I got it—no fighting. Jeez," Lexi replied as she opened the door to let her friend in. "Hey Quinn, let's go to my room."

Sarah watched flabbergasted as her daughter walked passed her with her friend—Sarah hadn't given permission for her daughter to invite any friends over today—and completely ignored her mother like that was a perfectly acceptable thing to do.

Rachel took a deep breath and was just turning around from her spot in the corner when Lexi and Quinn reached the top of the stairs. Rachel locked eyes with Quinn and the girl snickered meanly. She felt her face flush in embarrassment and lowered her gaze, wishing the floor would open and swallow her up at this very moment.

Sarah had just been ready to get on Lexi when she heard Quinn snicker and looked over to see Rachel's reaction. The poor girl looked completely embarrassed and all thoughts of Lexi were pushed out of Sarah's mind. Rachel needed her more right now. She waited until she heard Lexi's door shut down the hall before approaching her niece.

Rachel saw her aunt approaching and stared down at the ground. She was embarrassed. And confused. And hurt. Lexi was choosing Quinn over Rachel and they were fighting because of it. Aunt Sarah had spanked her for that as well. And Rachel had gotten into trouble with her mom on Tuesday. It all led back to Quinn—she ruined _everything_.

"Rachel," Sarah said gently, trying to get the girl to look up at her. She heard the girl let out a small cry and immediately pulled her into a hug. "Oh sweetheart," she cooed, rubbing soothing circles on her back.

Rachel couldn't help it. She didn't want to cry, especially not with Quinn so close, but she couldn't help it. Her emotions were all over the place right now and crying seemed like the best way to release them.

"Shh, no more crying," Sarah said after another minute. She needed Rachel to calm down because she was working herself up too much and Sarah was afraid she was eventually going to make herself sick.

Rachel let her aunt hold her, but she really wanted her mother. "I want to go home," Rachel cried, her head buried in her aunt's neck.

"Shh. Come sit down with me," Sarah said gently as she took Rachel by her hand and guided her over to the sofa. She sat down and pulled the teen down beside her, pulling her close and wrapping her arms around her.

"It's not fair!" cried Rachel, slapping her hand down on the sofa in frustration.

"What's not fair, sweetheart?" Sarah asked, moving her leg so that Rachel didn't hit it. She had gotten very close when she threw her arm down, but Sarah wasn't going to scold. She wanted Rachel to get her emotions out, and if hitting the sofa helped her, then so be it.

"Lexi pushed me and I still got spanked," said Rachel, trying to wipe her nose with her left hand. Sarah grabbed it before she could swipe it across her face and reached for a tissue instead.

"You were both bickering during lunch and everything escaladed. You both deserved those spankings," Sarah said calmly, helping Rachel blow her nose.

"It's still not fair! I already have a broken arm, and thanks to Lexi, my head hurts. Now my butt hurts. It's not fair," Rachel whined, her tears starting anew. She really wanted her mother. She wanted to go home—_now_.

"I know, honey," Sarah soothed, wanting to pacify the child before she got even more worked up than she already was. Sarah wasn't exactly sure how Shelby did it. She must have the patience of a saint! Rachel was just so much more dramatic and emotional than both of Sarah's children put together. Though, Rachel had been through so much more than either of her children, and hadn't ever had the love and attention she truly deserved growing up.

**Open Arms * Open Arms * Open Arms**

"You know…seeing Rachel in the corner _almost_ makes up for her slapping me the other day. What did she do, anyway?" Quinn asked as she flopped down on Lexi's bed.

"Uh…she broke Mom's vase—the one she got on her honeymoon," Lexi said, climbing onto her bed carefully so as to not draw attention to her slightly tender bottom.

"Whoa! Damn, I bet your mom was pissed!" Quinn laughed, shaking her head. This was too good! Perfect Berry was finding herself in hot water left and right, it seemed.

"Yeah. Mom got her good," Lexi said, smirking. "Then put her in the corner." She didn't add that she suffered the same punishment as Rachel. Quinn didn't need to know that. Besides, Lexi was pissed off at her cousin right now.

"Ha! You should have recorded it! I'd have _loved_ to see that!" Quinn exclaimed.

"I dunno what her problem's been recently. She got all pissy with me earlier when I told her you were coming over. It's _my_ house! I can have you over if I want to!" Lexi ranted angrily. She really didn't know what was wrong with her cousin, but she was getting sick of it.

"I didn't know she'd be over today. She kind of ruined Tuesday," Quinn said with a sigh.

"Don't worry about her. We'll just hang out and let her do whatever. Hopefully Aunt Shel will be back to get her soon."

"Yeah…Shelby invited Frannie and I over for the cookout tomorrow. I dunno if I'm going," Quinn said.

"Because of Rachel? I swear I'm gonna get her back for being so annoying," Lexi said darkly.

Quinn smirked and ideas sprang to her mind. It would be wonderful to get Berry back just a bit for slapping her the other day. "We could arrange that, you know," she said.

Lexi's eyes sparkled as she conspired with Quinn. It was fun, really. Rachel deserved a bit of payback for the crap she pulled this week.

"Hey Rachel," Lexi said sweetly as she entered the living room, "Why don't you come hang out with me and Quinn? We can all watch a movie."

Rachel had been sitting with her aunt for about twenty minutes and had finally started calming down some. At least, her crying had stopped. She knew her eyes were red and puffy from her tears. She looked up when Lexi came into the room and looked at her cautiously.

Sarah looked up when her daughter came into the room as well. She thought her child was acting a little off, but that could be because the girls were still fighting—maybe Lexi was just feeling awkward about making up with her cousin.

"No thanks," Rachel mumbled. She really didn't want to be near Quinn…or Lexi for that matter. Not since she kept choosing Quinn over her.

"Aw, c'mon Rach," Lexi urged. "I don't want us to fight anymore. Mom was right…we shouldn't be fighting with each other."

Sarah smiled at her daughter. It looked like the girl really had taken what she said to heart, and that always made her feel good. She was still a bit annoyed with her for inviting a friend over without asking, but she would let that slide for the time being. It was more important that her and Rachel make up.

"Go on, Rach," Sarah said gently.

"But Aunt Sarah, I don't—"

"Go with Lexi, honey," Sarah insisted as she stood and helped Rachel up. She then pushed her towards Lexi and smiled as Lexi took Rachel's hand and led her down the hallway to her room.

Rachel felt like she was being led to the gallows. She just had a bad feeling. Lexi was acting too nice after they had been at each other's throats all day. She tried to pull her hand out of her cousin's grip, but the girl was holding on too tightly.

"Quinn and I have a surprise for you, Rach," Lexi said as she pulled Rachel into her room behind her, shutting the door with an ominous _click_.

Rachel gulped. Quinn stood in the middle of the room, wearing an evil grin and holding up a large black _Sharpie_. "Hold her down, Lex," she said as she moved towards Rachel.

"No!" Rachel cried out as Lexi grabbed ahold of her arms and yanked her over to the bed. She wrestled her down and then sat on top of her so that Quinn had easy access to Rachel's cast. "Lexi!" she yelled, trying to dislodge her cousin from her.

"Stay still, Rachel. We're not hurting you," Lexi said in a huff.

"Get off!" Rachel yelled.

"Shut up! Do you want Mom coming in here? You've been a brat all week. We're just decorating your cast for you," Lexi barked back.

Quinn and Lexi had planned this well—Lexi was to hold Rachel down while Quinn wrote "brat" and "baby" on Rachel's cast. Lexi said they could even switch and she would draw a picture of a baby on the cast as well. Lexi planned on drawing some flowers or something as well so that it wasn't obvious to the parents what they had done. But Rachel would know, and that's all that was important.

Rachel craned her head to the side and was just able to make out what Quinn was writing on her cast: _Unlovable. Unwanted. Loser. _Large, black letters were staring back at her, tearing at her heart. Those were the very words she feared her mother would think about her eventually. Her fathers certainly did. That's why they gave her away. She started fighting against Lexi harder. She felt her cousin's hands wrap around her arms tightly to hold on as her knees dug into Rachel's stomach.

Lexi was startled when Rachel started thrashing hard beneath her and reflexively tightened her hold on the girl so she wouldn't be thrown off. "Rach! Stop being a baby!" she said angrily as she got her balance again. Really, it was just a little prank. Lexi looked over to see if Quinn was almost finished and her stomach twisted painfully. "What are you doing?!" she yelled, ripping the_ Sharpie_ from the other blonde's hand.

Rachel used that moment to fling Lexi off of her and rolled off of the bed.

"Rachel!" Lexi called after the small teen who ran crying from her bedroom. "What the hell is wrong with you?" she yelled at Quinn.

Rachel was thankful that her aunt wasn't still in the living room and she was able to make it to the door without an issue. She flung the door open and rushed out, running straight into the lanky form of her oldest cousin, JJ.

"Whoa Short stack, where's the fire?" JJ asked, reaching out to help steady the younger girl. He had taken to calling Rachel all kinds of short-related nicknames as a joke. It always seemed to make her smile. He was taken aback when he noticed the tears in her eyes. "What's wrong?"

"C-c-can you take me home?" Rachel cried.

"Of course," JJ said, wrapping his arm around Rachel's shoulders and guiding her over to this old Toyota Camry. He helped her into the front seat before running around to the driver's side and hopping in.

JJ pulled up outside Rachel's house about fifteen minutes later. He had tried to find out what had made his cousin so upset, but she refused to tell him. He made sure she got into the house safely and asked if she wanted him to stay for company, but she refused. "If you change your mind, just text me. I'll be out with my buddies, but I don't mind coming if you need me," he said, hugging Rachel quickly.

Rachel locked the door after JJ left and made her way upstairs to her bathroom.

**Open Arms * Open Arms * Open Arms**

Shelby gripped her steering wheel tightly as she sat at a red-light. She was going to _kill_ her daughter, that's all there was to it. As soon as she found her, she would be turning the girl over her knee. It was New York all over again. Clearly Rachel had not learned that she could not leave anyone's house without permission. Shelby would make sure she taught her daughter that lesson correctly this time around. Her daughter wouldn't be able to sit for a week once Shelby was through with her!

Shelby had been at the party store looking for decorations for the cookout the next day when she received a call no parent ever wants to get: your child is missing. Shelby had left her cart in the middle of aisle six and ran for the exit, not caring that others were yelling at her as she flew past them. The only thing she cared about right now was finding her daughter.

She pulled into the driveway of her house five minutes later and rushed up the front walk to the door, jamming the wrong key into the lock three times in a row. Cursing, she fumbled with her keys until she found the correct one and flung the door open.

"Rachel!" Shelby called, flying through the house. The girl wasn't anywhere on the first level or basement. Shelby took two steps at a time as she went upstairs. Her heart felt like it was going to burst right out of her chest.

Reaching her daughter's room, she was relieved to see the girl's ceiling light was on. Relief immediately turned to anger. "Rachel, what the hell were you thinking?" she yelled as she barged into the bathroom when she heard the water running. She stopped dead in her tracks and stared at her daughter in complete shock for several seconds as she registered what was happening.

"WHAT ARE YOU DOING?" she yelled.

Rachel jumped at the loud shout and looked up into the angry face of her mother. She had never seen the woman look so angry before, and certainly never directed at her. Her cries went up several octaves as she turned back to the sink and watched as her cast continued to fall apart under the steady flow of water.

* * *

**Oh Crap. Rachel is certainly in a lot of trouble, isn't she? What do you think will happen next? Think she will fold and finally just tell Shelby what is going on? How about Quinn—what do you think will happen to her? And thoughts on Lexi this chapter? She was kind of nasty to her cousin, wasn't she? Poor Rach...Until the next update guys. Thanks for reading. **

**Reviews are always welcome! :) **


	11. Torn

**Hello Readers! I know all of you have been anxiously awaiting this chapter. I got it out as fast as I could. Unfortunately, the real world isn't as freeing as I thought it would be, and add a sinus infection on top of work and family/friend obligations, I didn't have as much time to write as I would have liked. But, this chapter is finished and hopefully the next chapter will be a breeze to write (this one certainly ****wasn't).**

**Without further ado, I give you:**

* * *

**Chapter Eleven: Torn**

Shelby rushed forward and tried to yank Rachel away from the sink, but the girl fought her. "Rachel," Shelby said, tugging on the girl's arm.

"No! Leave me alone!" Rachel yelled, doing her best to keep her arm under the water. She could feel her cast becoming looser by the second and parts of it were starting to sag and fall apart. The words Quinn wrote were impossible to read now, but Rachel wanted the whole cast off of her arm. She needed the words to be gone completely. She felt like they would seep into her arm and be even truer if she didn't get it off right now.

"Rachel, stop it now," Shelby scolded, managing to turn the faucet off with her free hand while trying to keep Rachel from turning it back on with the other. "You scared me to death—you _know_ you aren't allowed to go anywhere without permission! Then I come home to find you ruining your cast. What are you _thinking_?" she added as finally got the girl away from the sink. She couldn't help but shake her slightly in her frustration.

"I want this stupid cast OFF!" Rachel screamed, flailing in her mother's arms. She kicked her leg back, catching Shelby's shin—hard. Shelby sucked in her breath and blinked back a few tears. That had _hurt_!

"Rachel, STOP!" Shelby yelled, popping her daughter hard on the bottom. "I'm already planning on spanking you, don't make it worse!" she scolded, delivering two more stinging swats. She was lifting her arm to deliver a few more when Rachel squirmed her away around and flung herself into her mother's chest.

"Mommy, d-don't hate me!" Rachel sobbed, soaking her mother's shirt with her tears.

Shelby's anger dissipated immediately as she wrapped her arms around her child. She was still upset that Rachel had left her aunt's house without permission—making it the third time the girl had pulled that stunt—but right now that didn't matter. What mattered most was taking care of Rachel's arm and making sure she hadn't injured it even more.

"Honey, I don't hate you. Calm down now," Shelby said gently, rubbing the girl's back in an effort to soothe her.

"M-Mommy, my arm h-hurts!" Rachel cried pathetically. Now that the cast was wet, it was no longer providing her arm any stability. She had bumped it against her mother's side when she was fighting to get away and the arm throbbed just as bad as it had the day she had broken it.

"I know, sweetie. I'm going to call your pediatrician in a few minutes and get an appointment for us. Why did you ruin your cast, Rach?" Shelby soothed, hooking a finger under Rachel's chin and forcing her to look up.

"You'll hate me!" Rachel sobbed, trying to pull away from her mother. She didn't want to see the disappointment—disappointment at having to have Rachel as a daughter and be stuck with her—in her mother's eyes.

"Rachel, I could never hate you," Shelby said gently, trying again to get her girl to look at her.

"You will!" Rachel insisted, her cries turning shrill.

Shelby sighed. She was getting nowhere, and Rachel was just going to make herself sick. She needed to call the girl's doctor and see if she could squeeze Rachel in instead of taking the girl to the ER again. Shelby wasn't sure either mother or daughter could handle another trip there.

"Come on, sweetheart, let's get you cleaned up and then we'll take care of this," Shelby said, grabbing a fresh towel from the closet. She then used it to dab at the destroyed cast to try to remove all of the excess water before guiding Rachel into her bedroom and helping her out of her wet clothes and into dry ones.

**Open Arms * Open Arms * Open Arms**

Shelby sat with Rachel in the waiting room at the pediatrician's office thirty minutes later, waiting to be called back into an exam room. She had been so relieved when she called Dr. Griffin's office and was told to bring Rachel in right away. Before they left, Shelby had given Rachel a pain pill, and it seemed to be kicking in now. The girl was leaning up against Shelby's right side with her eyes fluttering open and shut.

The constant coughing from a ten-year-old boy sitting two seats away was making it hard for Rachel to completely succumb to her drowsiness. Huffing, Rachel opened her eyes and sent a glare at the boy who sounded like he was hacking up a lung and refused to cover his mouth. His mother was too busy trying to calm her fussy toddler to notice. Rachel huffed again and slumped further into her mother's side.

Shelby leaned over and placed a gentle kiss to her child's head. She hoped they wouldn't have to wait much longer. They had only been here for ten minutes or so, but Shelby was becoming impatient. She wanted to get Rachel's arm stabilized again as soon as possible. Right now the girl's arm was being supported in a sling they had received from the hospital the other night.

Mother and daughter sat in silence for another five minutes or so before a nurse appeared in the doorway that led back into the exam rooms. She was a pretty woman in her forties, with thick brown hair down to her shoulders.

"Rachel, come on back now, sweetie," the nurse said. Shelby gave a sigh of relief and helped Rachel stand before guiding her towards the nurse.

"Hey kiddo, not doing so well, huh?" the woman asked with a warm smile when Rachel and Shelby approached. "We'll get you fixed up, right as rain. Hi Mom, nice to meet you. I'm Nurse Leslie—we talked on the phone," she said, extending her hand out for Shelby to shake.

"Leslie, hi! It's so nice to meet you," Shelby replied, returning the smile and shaking her hand. "I gave Rach a pain killer before we left the house, so she's pretty out of it," she added as Nurse Leslie led them into exam room three.

"That's perfectly fine. Let's just get you up on the scale for a minute, Rachel, and then you can sit with mom in the chair if you'd like," Leslie said as she and Shelby together helped Rachel balance on the scale. Leslie made quick work of adjusting the weights. Shelby wasn't at all surprised to see that Rachel only weighed ninety-five pounds.

Shelby helped Rachel down off the scale and over to one of the chairs next to the exam table. She sat down first and pulled the girl onto her lap, cuddling her close.

Leslie grabbed the ear thermometer from its dock on the wall and made her way over to mother and daughter. She cooed when Rachel whined and tried to move her head away from the thermometer. "Dr. Griffin will be in in just a minute. Hold tight," she said as soon as she was finished.

Shelby swayed gently side to side as she hummed to Rachel. She could tell the girl was falling asleep. She would put her to bed for a bit when they got home. They could talk about everything when Rachel woke up.

Shelby looked up when she heard a light knock on the door. A redheaded woman who appeared to be around Shelby's age entered the room, smiling at mother and daughter. She extended her hand out to Shelby who adjusted Rachel in her arms slightly so that she could shake the woman's hand.

Forty minutes later, Rachel was staring at her new cast—purple this time—and trying not to fall asleep while Dr. Griffin and her mother talked. She hadn't expected things to take as long as they did, but Dr. Griffin insisted on getting a new x-ray from the radiology office that was just downstairs before she put a new cast on.

"Thank you so much for seeing us on such short notice, Dr. Griffin," Shelby said with a smile. She really was grateful to the woman for squeezing Rachel in.

"Oh, don't mention it! We're used to getting those kinds of calls all the time! I'm glad we could patch Rachel up and everything looks just fine with her arm. It should heal nicely, but if you have any questions, don't hesitate to call or shoot me an email," Dr. Griffin said with a smile. "Stay away from water this time, ok kiddo?" she added to the teen.

"Oh believe me, she will," Shelby said, casting a small reproachful glare at her daughter. She was still determined to find out what the girl was thinking when she decided to soak her cast after leaving her aunt's house unannounced.

"Shelby, it was very nice meeting you. On your way out, set up an appointment with Leslie for five weeks from now. We'll check to see how Rachel's arm is healing, and it's probably a good idea to go ahead and get her physical out of the way the same day. She'll need her tetanus shot too, unless you want to do that today," Dr. Griffin replied.

Shelby looked at her daughter and noticed that most of the color had drained from her face. The poor kid was already hurting and drowsy from the medicine—not to mention had one hell of a scolding coming her way—she really didn't want to add a shot on top of that. Plus tetanus shots really hurt! No, that could wait a few weeks.

Rachel looked at her mom pleadingly. She didn't want a shot today—she didn't want a shot any day! She was gearing up to start crying if her mother said yes.

"I think we'll wait on that. I'll make her an appointment for next month," Shelby said, holding her hand out to Rachel. The girl immediately melted into her side, as if that would offer her protection from any other possible needle talk.

Rachel waited quietly next to her mom while she made an appointment for the following month. She shifted from foot to foot and glanced over at her mother. Even in her medicine-induced haze, she knew she was still in trouble. Her mom might not be angry anymore, but the woman had promised a spanking earlier. Rachel had a feeling her mom hadn't forgotten about it.

"C'mon Rach, let's go home," Shelby said once she was finished. She wrapped her arm around Rachel's waist for comfort as well as stability. The poor kid was having a hard time fighting off her drowsiness and Shelby didn't want her falling and hurting herself even more.

Shelby got Rachel into the passenger side of the CR-V and buckled her up before making her way around the front of the car to get into the driver's side. It was only three-thirty, but it felt so much later to her. Rachel may not be the only one that needed a nap when they got home.

As Shelby pulled out of the parking lot and onto the main road, Rachel couldn't help but to fidget in her seat. She knew it wouldn't take that long to get home and she wasn't looking forward to what awaited her when they did. She bit her lip and kept glancing at her mother.

"What's wrong, sweetheart?" Shelby asked after another five minutes of Rachel's not-so-secretive staring.

"Mommy, I…Are you gonna spank me when we get home?" Rachel asked timidly, lowering her gaze to stare at her new cast.

Shelby sighed and shot a quick look over at her little girl. It broke her heart to see her kid like this. A huge part of her wanted to scoop Rachel up and hold her and tell her everything was forgotten. Shelby knew she couldn't do that though. She needed to be the parent, and part of the job was disciplining your child when they misbehaved. She couldn't let Rachel get away with breaking one of her rules—especially a rule that she had already broken twice before. But Shelby also wanted to get to the bottom of Rachel's behavior. The girl hadn't been acting like herself all week, and Shelby was frustrated and tired. Before any punishment was given out, Shelby needed to know what was going on with her girl so that she could help.

"I'm going to put you to bed for a bit when we get home," Shelby replied, easing to a stop at the red light. "We'll talk after you have had a nap."

Rachel couldn't help the whine that escaped her lips. She didn't want to have to wait for a punishment if it was coming. She'd much rather get it over with. Besides…she knew the pain pill was still working—maybe it would help lessen the pain from the spanking. "Can't you spank me first though?" she asked.

"Rachel I—"

"Mommy, please don't make me wait for the spanking! Please! Can't we just get it over with?" Rachel practically cried.

"Rachel, I'm not going to spank you," Shelby said, reaching out to cup Rachel's face in her hand.

"But you said—"

"I know I said I was going to, sweetheart, but I was also upset and angry when I did. I want you to talk to me and tell me what is wrong, and I don't think that will happen if you are afraid you are going to be spanked," Shelby said gently. The car behind her honked its horn and she sighed. Waving a hand, she stepped on the gas.

"I don't…I can't tell you," Rachel replied, tears now making their way down her cheeks. She just couldn't tell her mother. She couldn't.

"I'm afraid you don't have a choice, love. We're going to talk about this and you are going to tell me what is going through that head of yours. I just want to help, baby," Shelby said, reaching her hand out to hold onto Rachel's. She gave it a comforting squeeze before putting it back on the steering wheel.

"I won't," Rachel said defiantly through her tears. She wouldn't tell her mom the real reason for her actions. She didn't care if a spanking was put back on the table. She'd rather be spanked than tell her mom about Quinn and the cast and the bullying behind it.

"Rachel, hush. We're almost home and you can take a nap," Shelby said gently. "You'll feel better after and we can talk."

"Mom, no. I won't. Just spank me. I don't want to talk!" Rachel cried angrily.

Shelby sighed for what felt like the one-thousandth time during this car ride, and she was glad they were only two blocks from their house. Not two minutes ago her daughter was crying and begging not to be spanked, and now she was begging for the complete opposite, which only helped reinforce to Shelby that she had made the right choice when she decided not to spank for this offense. If Rachel would rather be spanked than talk, then something was seriously wrong.

"C'mon honey, let's get you to bed," Shelby said as soon as she pulled into their driveway and cut the engine. She was helping a still-crying Rachel out of the car a moment later and had them both up to the porch in a matter of seconds. Shelby ushered the girl into the house and quickly locked the door before guiding her towards the stairs.

Rachel was still crying as her mom helped her to her bedroom. She was anxious and angry and cranky. Her arm didn't hurt anymore, but the medicine made her feel really strange because she had been fighting off sleep for so long now. She wanted her mom to love her up, but at the same time, she wanted to scream at her. And she definitely didn't want to talk to her or tell her her secrets.

Shelby helped Rachel out of her clothes and into Rachel's favorite NYU t-shirt—she'd really have to get that away from the girl so she could wash it, but for right now, she'd let her keep it. She knew it comforted the teen, and right now, Shelby wanted Rachel to have all the comfort she could get.

"Honey, you need to stop crying now. You're going to make yourself sick," Shelby said gently as she pulled the covers back and motioned for Rachel to crawl in. She did with big, fat tears still pouring down her face.

"Y-you're mad at me!" Rachel wailed even as her mother kissed her on her head and pulled the covers up to her chin. Frustrated, Rachel banged her good hand down on the bed. She knew logically her mother wasn't angry with her because she wasn't acting like she was. Rachel wasn't acting logically at the moment, however, and her insecurities were rising to the surface. It didn't help that she was exhausted and fighting the medicine and sleep. On top of it all, she was incredibly hurt over the words that Quinn wrote on her cast. She wasn't surprised at Quinn's behavior at all, but the fact that her cousin helped her worst enemy to hurt her sliced through Rachel's heart like a fiery knife.

"I'm not mad at you, honey. I never was. I was upset, yes, and frustrated...and maybe a little angry at your behavior and actions, but I was never mad _at you_. There _is_ a difference, Rachel, and we can talk about all of that after your nap. Right now I want you to close your eyes and sleep," soothed Shelby, giving her daughter another kiss on the forehead.

Shelby settled herself next to Rachel and leaned back against the headboard. Once she was comfortable, she wrapped an arm around her child and began to sing.

_Goodnight my angel, time to close your eyes  
__And save these questions for another day  
__I think I know what you've been asking me  
__I think you know what I've been trying to say  
__I promised I would never leave you  
__And you should always know  
__I never will be far away_

_Goodnight my angel, now it's time to sleep  
__And still so many things I want to say  
__Remember all the songs you sang for me  
__When we went sailing on an emerald bay  
__And like a boat out on the ocean  
__I'm rocking you to sleep  
__The water's dark and deep inside this mother's heart  
__You'll always be a part of me_

_Goodnight my angel, now it's time to dream  
__And dream how wonderful your life will be  
__Some day a child may cry and if you sing this lullaby  
__Then in your heart  
__There will always be a part of me_

By the time Shelby finished, Rachel was fast asleep, her tears now drying on her face. Shelby brushed a stray lock of hair off Rachel's face and adjusted her arm on the pillow before carefully getting up from the bed. Now that Rachel was finally asleep, she needed time to process and think.

**Open Arms * Open Arms * Open Arms**

By six o'clock, Shelby had dinner—grilled cheese sandwiches and tomato soup—ready and waiting on the kitchen table. She hadn't heard a peep out of Rachel since the girl had fallen asleep a little after four, but she was going to wake her up now or else she'd never be able to get to sleep tonight.

"Rachel, sweetie, time to wake up," Shelby said as she entered her daughter's room. She smiled at the sight of the girl sleeping peacefully. She looked so tiny and young in her sleep, and Shelby was reminded that for as much as she had been through and all the confusion and insecurities she dealt with, Rachel was still very much a little girl.

Rachel was barely aware of the movement on the mattress or the soft voice calling her name. She was aware of the gentle fingers brushing hair out of her face. She blinked her eyes a few times in order to focus and found her mother smiling down at her.

"Well hello there, sleepyhead," Shelby said softly, leaning down to place a kiss on Rachel's forehead. "Did you have a nice nap?"

"Mom…I'm sorry for earlier," Rachel said immediately, sitting up. She felt badly for scaring her mother and for the way she acted earlier when her mom was only trying to help. The little voice inside her head told her to tell her mom the truth right now, but Rachel brushed it off yet again. She just couldn't.

"Thank you, sweetheart," Shelby said, pulling her daughter into her arms. They stayed like that for a few minutes, neither saying a word. Shelby rubbed Rachel's back and Rachel laid her head on her mother's shoulder. The grumbling of Rachel's stomach was what finally broke mother and daughter apart. Shelby couldn't help but laugh and Rachel smiled sheepishly.

"C'mon, I made your favorite for dinner," Shelby said, smiling as she helped Rachel out of bed.

Dinner was a fairly quiet affair. Mother and daughter chatted a bit, but mostly the pair of them were lost in their own thoughts. Once they both finished, Shelby made quick work of cleaning up the dishes while Rachel waited on the sofa in the living room for her mother.

"Alright sweetie, let's have that talk," Shelby said as she walked into the living room carrying two glasses of water. She made sure to put Rachel's water in her star glass for her.

Rachel fidgeted in her seat and refused to meet her mother's eyes. Shelby sighed and set the glasses on the coffee table before taking a seat next to Rachel. She waited to see if the girl would look up at her, but when she didn't, decided to make the whole thing less threatening and pulled her into her arms.

Rachel melted into her mother's side and breathed in her scent. She didn't know what it was about Shelby's smell, but it always comforted her. And she found that even though she hated the idea of having this conversation, she felt better just being held. That annoying little voice in her head decided to pipe up and remind Rachel that her mother always made her feel better, and if she would just open up to the woman and explain what was going on, she would be able to help. It may even get her out of whatever punishment Shelby was going to deliver afterwards. Rachel pouted and told the voice to shut up.

"Will you tell me what's wrong now, Rach? Please, baby," Shelby said after a minute or two of simply holding Rachel and feeling the girl relax. She sighed as she felt the girl stiffen back up. She rubbed soothing circles on Rachel's back in an effort to calm her again.

"Nothing's wrong, Mom," Rachel insisted.

"Aunt Sarah told me what happened," Shelby replied.

Rachel felt her heart rate speed up and she pulled away so she could look up at her mother. "W-what do you mean?" she stammered.

"She said you and Lexi were at each other's throats again today and that all through lunch you two were bickering. She sent you off to watch a movie and you broke her vase. She then came in and spanked both of you and stood you in the corner," Shelby said gently.

Rachel blushed furiously and tried to bury her head in her mother's chest, but Shelby hooked a finger under her chin and forced her to look at her. "Rach?" she prompted.

"I…Mom, I-I didn't mean to! It was an accident!" Rachel stammered, tears welling in her eyes.

"I know, sweetheart, but you two shouldn't have been fighting. What are you two fighting over anyway?" Shelby said.

"It's not fair, Mom. Lexi pushed me and I fell! Aunt Sarah's vase broke, I hit my head, and then I get spanked! I was hurt, and Aunt Sarah still spanked me! It was Lexi's fault the vase broke in the first place! She said I hit her with my cast, but I didn't do it on purpose. Mommy, I didn't!" Rachel cried, her tears now spilling over.

"Shhh," Shelby cooed, moving Rachel so the girl was sitting on her lap. She wrapped her arms around her girl and rocked them both. "I know you didn't do it on purpose, sweetie. Aunt Sarah said you were really upset after the spanking. Talk to me, baby."

"It was Lexi's fault and I got spanked and now she hates me!" Rachel sobbed.

"Who do you think hates you? It's not true, Rachel," Shelby said.

"Lexi does! She hates me!" Rachel insisted.

"I promise she doesn't hate you, baby. Would it help if I called Aunt Sarah and ask her to explain to Lexi how you're feeling?"

"Mom, no! I…That'll make it worse! Aunt Sarah's gonna hate me now too! A-and you!" Rachel cried, burying her head in her mother's chest.

"Rachel Barbra, no one hates you, young lady. It is _impossible_ for anyone to hate you, do you hear me?" Shelby said sternly. She tried to get the girl to look at her, but Rachel refused to lift her head. Shelby sighed and said more gently, "I will help remind you of this every day if I need to, baby. No one could ever hate you. I promise."

"Mommy!" Rachel wailed, clutching onto her mother's shirt like it was a lifeline.

"Shhh, it's ok. Let it all out," Shelby soothed, placing soft pats on Rachel's bottom. "Is all of this the reason you ran out of Aunt Sarah's today, Rach?" Shelby asked, having a feeling it was. She wanted Rachel to tell her herself though.

Even in Rachel's tormented state, she realized the escape route. Perhaps if she told her mom that yes, the incident with the vase and having Aunt Sarah spank her was the reason for her storm out, then maybe she wouldn't dig deeper. Rachel had a feeling that if she did, Rachel wouldn't be able to hold out much longer, especially since she was already so upset and letting her emotions spill out. Besides, having Aunt Sarah spank her _had_ upset and embarrassed her, so it wasn't a complete lie.

"Y-y-yes. Aunt Sarah s-spanked me and it wasn't my f-fault! She can't do that a-anyway!" Rachel sobbed. "She said I d-deserved it! But it wasn't fair, Mommy!"

"Shhh. Calm down and we'll talk about it," Shelby said gently. She waited a few minutes for Rachel's cries to die down before continuing. She found she needed that time to think about how she would approach this. "I know you think it's unfair, Rach, but Aunt Sarah didn't spank you for breaking the vase. You were spanked because you and Lexi have been fighting back and forth all week. I think Aunt Sarah was frustrated and she did what she needed to do."

"But…she can't spank me," Rachel insisted, finally meeting her mother's tender hazel eyes with her own teary brown ones.

"I'm afraid she can, sweetheart," Shelby said with a small smile.

"But Mom—"

"No, listen. All of your aunts and uncles, as well as your grandparents, are authority figures in your life, Rach. It is perfectly ok for any of them to give you a few swats when you deserve them, which is all that Aunt Sarah gave you. Anything that requires more than that, they'll tell me and I'll deal with it. Ok?"

"It still wasn't fair," Rachel pouted, sniffing. She ran her good hand across her eyes before leaning forward and wiping her nose on her mom's shirt.

Shelby cringed inwardly and sighed. She never thought she'd have to deal with runny noses being wiped on her since Rachel was a teenager, but apparently to kids, it didn't matter how old you were—when you had a runny nose and mom was near, her shirt was fair game.

"I'm sorry you think it was unfair, love. It's all over now though. No more tears," Shelby soothed, brushing away some of Rachel's tears. "We can talk about it more tomorrow when Aunt Sarah comes over if you'd like—if that would make you feel better about everything?"

"I don't want to talk about it with Aunt Sarah," Rachel whined.

"Alright sweetheart, we don't have to," Shelby relented. She waited a minute before continuing. This next part wasn't exactly going to be fun for either of them. "Rachel, I'm disappointed in your behavior. You know better than to go anywhere without permission—we discussed this at length a few weeks ago."

"Mom—"

"Shhh," Shelby hushed her. "I understand that you were confused and upset, Rach, but you have to understand that you can't run off without telling anyone where you went. Aunt Sarah was beside herself when she realized you weren't at the house anymore, and I was so scared when she called me. It was New York all over again, Rachel. You can't do that to me, baby."

Rachel felt a wave of guilt wash over her and she squirmed in her mother's lap. She couldn't help but to think back to the Central Park incident and wince. "I'm sorry, Mommy," Rachel said, her eyes pleading. "Please don't hate me," she added as more tears spilled down her cheeks.

"Shh. Honey, I love you. _I love you_, Rachel Barbra. You are my _world_. I don't care what you do or say, nothing will ever make me hate you," Shelby said firmly. She needed Rachel to understand that she wasn't going anywhere and she did love her unconditionally. It hurt Shelby to hear her kid beg her not to hate her. How could she hate her? She was…Rachel was her _everything_.

"I'm sorry, Mom! I-I love you too!" Rachel sobbed, holding onto her mother tightly. Rachel knew her mom loved her, she just…something in her head made her worry and think the woman would eventually hate her—that _everyone_ would hate her, not just her mom. It helped to hear her mom tell her she didn't hate her. She still got scared, but hearing her mother reassure her always made her feel better.

"No need to be sorry, Rach. I want you to tell me how you feel. I want you to tell me your fears. It's my job to take care of you, baby. Let me," Shelby said as she held Rachel more tightly against her and rocked them both.

A few minutes passed quietly between mother and daughter. The only sounds to be heard were Rachel's soft cries that were now turning into occasional hiccups and Shelby's soft shushing. Rachel sat up straighter on her mother's lap and Shelby, deciding her shirt was a lost cause, began wiping Rachel's face with the bottom of it. She'd just throw it in the hamper as soon as they were finished their talk.

"Alright Rach…I normally would spank you for this, but I already said I wasn't going to do that because I knew you were upset and we really needed to talk about everything. So instead of a spanking, you are going to be grounded for three days, starting Sunday—I don't want to ground you during the cookout. You can enjoy tomorrow and then it's no TV, computer, phone, or electronics for the next three days. This is the third time you've gone off without permission, kiddo. I'm going easy on you this time because I know you were upset and you didn't run off because you just wanted to go out like in New York. Is all of that understood?" Shelby said, kissing her daughter's head when she blushed and looked down at her lap.

"Yes, ma'am," Rachel mumbled.

"Good girl," Shelby said with another kiss to Rachel's sweaty forehead.

"I really am sorry for worrying you, Mom. I promise I won't do this again," Rachel said softly. She raised her eyes to look at her mom and then promptly lowered them again.

"Thank you, sweetheart. I hope you don't do it again—I won't be nearly as understanding next time, kid," Shelby said in a gentle but firm voice. Rachel ducked her head and nodded.

"I promise, Mommy," Rachel said, biting her lip.

"Well now that all of that is taken care of, let's talk about—"

"Mommy, my arm hurts again. Will you give me another pill and then lay down with me?" Rachel asked innocently, bringing her big, watery eyes up to meet her mother's.

"Of course, Rach," Shelby said sweetly. "But first—"

"Will you help me with a bath first too? Please Mom? I'm really hurting. And I'm exhausted," Rachel continued, yawning for emphasis.

"Ok Rach. Let's go," Shelby said, sighing. She helped Rachel stand and then took her hand.

Rachel smiled to herself as her mom led her upstairs. She had successfully managed to steer her mom away from the cast conversation. She was positive that if she could just get through the rest of the night without having it brought up, her mom would let it go.

By eight-thirty, both mother and daughter were bathed and in fresh pajamas, snuggled up in Shelby's bed—the girl asked if she could sleep with her mom that night—while Shelby opened to where the two had left off on _Pride and Prejudice_. Shelby was thrilled that Rachel was enjoying the book since it was Shelby's all-time favorite. She found that she enjoyed it even more now that she was reading it to her daughter as a bedtime story nearly every night.

Rachel yawned and scooted closer to her mother, her head resting on a pillow in her mom's lap. Shelby absentmindedly ran her fingers through her girl's damp locks as she read from the book propped up on her stomach. Shelby couldn't help but smile and think that it was a perfect ending to what had otherwise been a hectic—and emotional—day.

"Getting sleepy, Rach?" Shelby asked nearly forty minutes later. Rachel could barely keep her eyes open and kept yawning every few seconds.

Rachel let out another big yawn before nodding her head and rolling over onto her stomach. She preferred sleeping on her stomach with her right arm tucked under her pillow. The cast prevented her from sleeping that way, but she had recently discovered that she could sleep with the cast _above_ her head and it wasn't so bad. She did bang herself in the head every once in awhile, but it wasn't often.

Shelby smiled down at her little girl and put the bookmark in the book to mark their place before setting it down on the nightstand beside her. She grabbed Henry from underneath her where Rachel had inadvertently pushed him in her drowsiness and tucked him underneath the girl's arm, near her cheek like she liked him.

"Goodnight, sweet girl," Shelby said, planting a kiss to Rachel's head. "Rach?"

"Hmm?" Rachel hummed sleepily, trying to open her eyes to look at her mother. She felt she was doing it, but something was off—she couldn't see her mom. Whatever…she must be close enough.

Shelby laughed at the girl's attempt to open her eyes. The closest she managed was raising her eyebrows as high as they could go. "I hope you enjoyed your free pass tonight, because tomorrow night we will be discussing what happened with your cast," she said as she placed a few gentle pats to the girl's bottom.

"Mommy—"

"I'm giving you time to get your feelings in order, but we really do need to talk about it. Tomorrow, after the cookout, we will. Now get some sleep, little girl. Sweet dreams. Mommy loves you," Shelby said, cutting off Rachel's whine before she could get properly started.

**Open Arms * Open Arms * Open Arms**

"Mom, why can't I just start my grounding today? I'll stay up in my room and—"

"No Rach, your grandparents and all your aunts and uncles and cousins are coming over. They want to spend time with you. It'll be fun, sweetie," Shelby said for what felt like the one-hundredth time. Rachel had been bugging her nonstop to let her stay in her room, but Shelby really didn't want the girl to isolate herself. "Are you worried about seeing Lexi?" she asked.

"No, I'm not worried about seeing Lexi," Rachel said angrily, picking at her scrambled eggs on her plate. It was almost noon, but Rachel had just gotten up a little bit ago and had come downstairs to find her mom getting ready for the party at one. She immediately stopped what she was doing to make some breakfast for Rachel and now the girl was sitting at the kitchen island pouting and trying to get her mom to see things her way while the woman was cutting up fruit for the fruit salad. "She can kiss my ass," the girl added under her breath.

"Rachel!" Shelby scolded. "Do you need another dose of soap?"

Rachel jerked her head up and wondered how on earth her mother had heard her—she had barely breathed that last remark! She finally looked away from her mother's stern glare and shook her head.

"Good, let's keep it that way," Shelby replied firmly. She went back to cutting up her strawberries for a minute before looking back up at Rachel. The girl had been in a bad mood since she got up. Shelby understood and sympathized with her daughter, but she also didn't appreciate the attitude. "Rach, I get that you are upset with Lexi, but please try to drop the attitude. I don't like it."

"Let me stay in my room then!" Rachel bit back angrily.

"Rach, I'm not trying to start a fight. And I don't want you fighting with Lexi today, got it? I won't make you hang out with her. Just be polite, ok?" Shelby said more gently as she placed a few cut strawberries on Rachel's plate. She knew the girl loved them and she was trying to do anything to get the kid to smile.

"It won't matter anyway. She hates me," Rachel replied as she popped one of the strawberry slices into her mouth.

"She doesn't hate you," Shelby replied with a sigh. She was about to say more when a knock at the door stopped her. "That should be your grandparents. Finish your breakfast," Shelby said, pointing her finger at her daughter's barely-touched food before making her way to the foyer.

Rachel heard her grandparents voices drift in from the other room and sighed. She was going to have to put a show face on and she knew it. She really wished her mom would just let her stay in her room for the day.

"Rachel! What are you still doing in your pajamas? How's your arm, sweetheart?" Nana asked as soon as she caught sight of her granddaughter. She came over and immediately kissed the girl's cheek. "Wasn't your cast another color?"

"Mom, give the kid room to breathe. She just woke up," said Shelby, coming to the rescue.

"I'm gonna go change," Rachel said as she hopped off the kitchen stool.

"Rach, you didn't finish your breakfast!" called Shelby.

Rachel stopped for a second to be pulled into a hug from her grandfather and then scampered up the stairs to the safety of her room. Hopefully now that her grandparents were here, her mom would be too distracted to come and find her.

"Rachel," Shelby said as she came into the girl's room a few minutes later.

Rachel sighed. _Or not_, she thought woefully. "Mom," she whined, tossing her shorts she was trying to put on onto her bed in a huff.

Shelby kissed Rachel's head and pulled the girl in for a quick hug before going to retrieve the shorts. She quickly helped Rachel dress and said, "I'll let you stay up here for a bit, but when I come and get you later, you need to come down and join the party. Deal?"

Rachel sighed and wanted to whine, but she had a feeling this was the best compromise she was going to get. Defeated, Rachel nodded her head.

"Good girl," Shelby soothed, giving her daughter another kiss before turning to leave the room.

Rachel stayed up in her room for about forty-five minutes. She could hear laughing and chatter from downstairs and knew most of her family had arrived. She really didn't want her mom to come upstairs and force her to go down. No, she would go down by herself. It was a little less degrading that way. And maybe she could even slip downstairs into the basement without anyone knowing and be able to hide out down there for a bit.

Grabbing Henry, Rachel cautiously made her way out of her room and down the stairs. Her grandparents and some of her younger cousins were chatting in the living room. Rachel saw her grandfather wave at her and she smiled back at him, but continued on to her destination. Peeking around the corner to the kitchen, Rachel couldn't see her mother anywhere. She did, however, make eye contact with Lexi.

The girl began walking towards Rachel, who hastily tried to escape. She ran right into Aunt Sarah and sighed. She really didn't want to have to talk to her either.

"Hey there, kiddo," Aunt Sarah said, reaching out to pull Rachel into a hug.

"Uh…h-hi, Aunt Sarah," Rachel replied as she ducked under her aunt's arm and kept walking.

"Rach, we need to talk. I am so sorry!" Lexi hissed as soon as Rachel rounded the corner. "You have to—"

"I don't _have_ to do anything, Lexi. I don't want to talk to you. Now if you will excuse me, I need to be anywhere that's away from you," Rachel said, sidestepping her cousin. She was about to walk off when Lexi pulled her back by her good arm.

"We really need to talk, Rach. Let me talk and explain everything," Lexi said earnestly.

"I don't want to talk, Lexi!" Rachel said angrily, trying to yank her arm out of her cousin's grip, but the girl wouldn't let up. She just needed to get away. She didn't want to be around Lexi or Aunt Sarah, and Rachel knew Quinn would show up soon because her mother had invited both Quinn and Frannie and Mr. and Mrs. Richmond. Rachel suspected Quinn wouldn't pass up another opportunity to hurt her, and Lexi would probably help. "And there's no need for explanations, I understand everything perfectly," she added as tears pooled in her eyes.

When Lexi still wouldn't let go, Rachel swung her right arm and caught Lexi on the shoulder. Her cousin cried out in pain and pushed Rachel away from her before she could get hit again.

Shelby was just walking into the sunroom at the precise time and saw her niece grab her daughter's arm and tug her back towards her. Before Shelby could get over to the two girls, Rachel had clocked her cousin on the shoulder and Lexi retaliated by pushing the girl. She wasn't sure what had been said before that, but Shelby was frustrated. She had told both girls not to fight—Rachel earlier this morning and Lexi as soon as the girl got to her house. Clearly neither girl had listened.

"Hey hey!" she said, rushing forward to catch Rachel in case she fell.

Rachel huffed in annoyance and shook off her mother's hands before the woman got a good grip on her. Without a second glance, she made her way to the basement door and down the steps.

Shelby sighed and watched her daughter go, shaking her head after her. She turned and stared at her niece with a raised brow.

Lexi ducked her head and bit her lip. She did not like the look her aunt was giving her right now and it made her stomach flip-flop. She felt so guilty about what happened with Rachel yesterday and she wanted to apologize to her cousin so badly. Rachel was hurt though, and Lexi couldn't blame her. Still though, she wanted to at least make Rachel listen for a minute, just so that she could explain. Then the girl could go on being mad at her until she was ready to forgive her.

"Sorry, Aunt Shelby," Lexi said before she slunk off to the safety of the living room.

Shelby sighed and made her way downstairs to talk to her daughter. "Rachel," she called as she descended the steps.

"It figures you'd take her side," Rachel accused, spinning on her heels angrily so she could glare at her mother as she came down the stairs.

"Excuse me?" Shelby asked, taken aback by Rachel's tone.

"You came down here to yell at me and it isn't fair! I didn't do anything! I didn't even want to have anything to do with this stupid party but you don't listen to me! No one ever does! IT'S NOT FAIR!" Rachel yelled, her face turning red in the process.

Shelby sucked in her breath and held it for a minute. She understood that Rachel was upset, but she didn't take kindly to being yelled at by the fourteen year old.

"Rachel, stop yelling," she said firmly. "I didn't come down here to yell, I came down to—"

"NO! I don't care! Leave me alone!" Rachel screamed over her mother's words.

"Young lady, you are about to be in a lot of trouble," Shelby warned, moving to close the distance between herself and her defiant child.

Rachel glared at her mother. If she could have crossed her arms, she would have. She did stomp her foot in frustration at least.

"I don't know what happened between you and Lexi just now, but I did not come down here to yell at you. I wanted to make sure you were alright and talk to you. I want to help, Rachel. Now, will you calm yourself down and talk?" said Shelby.

"I don't want to talk about it! Just leave me alone!" Rachel said angrily.

"Rachel, I am tired of the attitude. Knock it off. Now," Shelby scolded, becoming frustrated. "I understand you are upset, but I'm offering to listen and to help. I will not have you screaming at me though. Keep it up and you will be in trouble. Am I understood?"

"Just go away, Mom," Rachel said, tears stinging her eyes.

Shelby sighed and grabbed Rachel by her good arm, pulling her over to her side despite the girl's struggle to get away. She then wrapped her arms around her child and held her close, giving her a kiss to her forehead. "I really wish you'd talk to me, Rach," she said, landing a solid swat to her daughter's bottom.

Rachel hissed and tried to get away from her mom, but Shelby only held her daughter tighter when she whimpered. "Lose the attitude, Rach," she said as she let go of the girl. She let out another sigh as she made her way back upstairs to join the party.

Rachel huffed and made her way over to the sofa where she had thrown Henry in her anger. She curled up on her side with Henry nuzzled against her cheek and the remote in her good hand. She might as well find something good on to watch. She planned on hiding out down here until the party was over.

Twenty minutes passed and Rachel had calmed down considerably. She found herself feeling guilty for the way she lashed out at her mom and promised herself she would apologize later. She sighed when she heard footsteps on the stairs, suspecting Shelby was coming down to check on her.

"Rach, we really do need to talk," Lexi said as soon as she saw her cousin lying on the sofa. "Please let me say I'm sorry."

Rachel couldn't look at Lexi. She was too hurt and angry to deal with this and she didn't understand why the girl wouldn't just leave her alone. Though, Rachel supposed she enjoyed seeing Rachel hurting. All the kids at school seemed to find enjoyment in causing Rachel pain. Quinn certainly did. Why should Lexi be any different?

_She's trying to apologize to you, stupid_, Rachel told herself. Still, she wasn't about to talk to Lexi right now. She was hurt and she deserved to feel that way.

"Go away, Lexi," Rachel finally said, not taking her eyes off of the television screen. She wasn't watching the movie that was playing, but it was better than staring into the piercing blue eyes of the girl in front of her.

"Rachel, please—"

"Hey Lex! I heard you were down here! I wanted to talk to you about—Rachel, oh," Quinn called as she came bounding down the stairs. She had been looking for Lexi since she arrived at the party and had been told by one of the girl's aunts that she had just gone downstairs. Quinn had immediately followed, unaware that Rachel would be down here.

"Perfect," Rachel muttered, feeling her anger rising. She needed to get away from the pair of them in case they decided to gang up on her again. Or before she wound up crying in front of them.

"Rach, please, yesterday was—"

"I don't ever want to talk about yesterday again. Leave me alone—both of you," Rachel cut her cousin off. She stood and made to brush past the two girls.

"Ber—Rachel, wait," Quinn said, reaching out to grab Rachel's arm. Her hand brushed past the girl's wrist and instead latched onto the stuffed animal she was holding.

Rachel felt a tug on Henry and turned back around furiously. "Let go," she said angrily, trying to pull his leg from the blonde's grasp.

"No, listen for a minute," Quinn said, getting a firmer grip on the toy's leg.

"No! Isn't it enough that you torture me every day during the school year? Do you have to do it in my own house too? Now let GO," Rachel yelled, tugging Henry.

Quinn pulled back harder than she intended. Why did Berry have to make this harder than it needed to be? She was just trying to talk to her for a minute.

Henry, in his old age and having had years of constant love, found that his body just wasn't as strong as it used to be. With a loud rip, his leg was torn from his body and several pieces of fluff fell from his gaping wound.

Rachel saw Henry's leg being brutally ripped from his body as if in slow motion. She couldn't help the tears that spilled from her eyes the instant his stuffing hit the ground. Henry had been with her through everything—through every nightmare and sickness, through tantrums and lonely nights. He had always been special to her, but after finding out he was given to her from Shelby and had slept with her for months before she was born made him even more important. He was a symbol of her mother's love for her, and it was like Shelby had always been with Rachel even when the girl didn't realize it.

Quinn stared down at the little fluffy leg in her hand and then back up at Rachel's tear stained face. Before she could say a word, Rachel ripped the leg out of her hand and almost knocked her over in her haste to get up the stairs.

Rachel burst into the kitchen sobbing and the room fell silent. "Rachel, what's wrong?" Shelby asked, immediately concerned that her daughter had hurt herself.

"I TOLD YOU TO JUST LET ME STAY IN MY ROOM TODAY!" Rachel screamed at her mother. This was all her fault! If Rachel had just been allowed to stay in her room, none of this would have happened. She wouldn't have had to see Lexi and Henry wouldn't have gotten torn.

Shelby's mouth fell open in shock at her daughter's outburst. Before she could even form any words, her niece and Quinn came running up after Rachel.

"Rach, please!" Lexi begged, hot on her cousin's heels. She reached out to grab Rachel's arm. Her fingers brushed lightly against Rachel's skin before the girl turned and glared at her.

"LEAVE ME ALONE!" Rachel yelled, practically ramming her cousin with her shoulder to get the girl away from her.

Lexi stumbled a few steps and collided with Frannie Fabray who was just coming in from outside. The woman's arm was jerked up, spilling her full cup of beer all down the front of her. She shrieked in surprise and shock from the cold beverage.

If Shelby wasn't angry a second ago, she certainly was now. Before Rachel could take another step, the mother lunged forward and got a firm grip on the girl's upper arm. Without a word, she marched her past the stunned faces of her family members and up the stairs to Rachel's bedroom.

Shelby didn't say a word as she shut Rachel's door and led them both over to the girl's bed. She had had enough of Rachel's attitude for a lifetime. It was going to end, and it was going to end _now_.

Rachel's tears were pouring down her face and her heart was beating rapidly in her chest. She gulped when her mother took a seat on her bed and pulled her in between her knees.

"Rachel, I am beyond upset with you. I have given you ample chances to talk to me and tell me what is wrong, but you refuse each time. I've given several warnings about fixing your attitude. Enough is enough," Shelby said sternly. "Do you have _anything_ to say for yourself?"

"Mom…Quinn ripped Henry," Rachel cried.

Shelby laughed harshly and took Henry and his leg from Rachel's hand and set him down next to her on the bed. "If that is all you have to say for your behavior downstairs, you and I are in for a very lengthy discussion just now," she said before reaching to unbutton Rachel's shorts.

Rachel yelped as her mom yanked her shorts down to her knees none-too-gently before pulling her over her knees. Rachel's underwear was pulled down a moment later and she tensed for the first swat that she knew was coming.

Shelby took moment to calm herself. She didn't want to spank in anger. She was frustrated with her daughter's behavior and was planning on giving the girl one hell of a spanking as punishment. But she needed to be calm. After several deep breaths, Shelby lifted her left hand and prepared to bring it down hard on the center of Rachel's bottom.

Rachel let out a squeal a second later, jumping at the sound of the door banging open.

"Aunt Shel, wait! I have to tell you something!" Lexi yelled, rushing into the room.

* * *

**Ahh! I know, I know, a couple cliffhangers in a row! I'm so mean. It just HAD to end here though. What do you think is going to happen next? What is Lexi going to tell her aunt? How do you think Shelby will react? And what about poor Rachel? I PROMISE her luck will turn around soon guys! Just hang in there!**

**Oh, and I would just like to take a minute and thank all of you that have been reading and reviewing. I get so many kind and AWESOME reviews and it makes my heart want to burst! Thank you, thank you, thank you! :D**


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